Willem van de Velde the Younger

Sale, London, Sotheby's, 1 July 1965, lot 121;
Lodewijk Houthakker (L.3893)

P. Fuhring, Design into Art. Drawings for Architecture and Ornament. The Lodewijk Houthakker Collection, 2 vols, London 1989, vol. I, p. 449, no. 738

Laid down on card. There is a diagonal crease that runs from the lower right corner towards the center of the sheet and a further small crease to its left. There is an old crease to the lower left corner and a small repaired tear to the center of the sheet. There are areas of light surface dirt throughout. The chalk medium is still relatively fresh.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In contrast to his more typical studies and 'portraits' of existing ships, this drawing seems to be a rare design by Willem van de Velde the Younger for his own yacht.  Other designs for the same vessel, dated by Michael Robinson to around 1675, are in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich,¹ and Peter Fuhring (loc. cit.) notes further related sheets formerly in the Ingram and van Beuningen collections.

1.  M.S. Robinson, Van de Velde drawings. A catalogue of drawings in the National Maritime Museum made by the elder and the younger Willem van de Velde, vol. I, Cambridge 1973, nos. 517-526