THOMAS WHITCOMBE | The East Indiaman, 'Duke of Buccleuch,' July 2nd 1797

The canvas has an old wax relining. The details and color are well-preserved overall, and there is still impasto in the brushwork in the waves, particularly in the whites. There is a subtle craqueleure throughout the work, though it is not distracting. There are four areas of retouching in the sky, each less than an inch in diameter, which fluoresce under ultra violet light. One, in the upper part of the pink area of the sky at the center of the painting, is visible to the naked eye and could be redone. Offered in a giltwood frame.
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.

The Duke of Buccleuch did six voyages to the East from 1788-1800.  The incident here depicted would have occurred on her fourth voyage, under Captain Thomas Wall, on which she sailed from Portsmouth on 11 August 1796 and was back on moorings in England on 11 July 1798.  Depicted in heavy seas, she has lost both foretopmasts and maintopmasts and, according to the coordinates given on the frame (Lattitude 17.15 north, Longitude 120.21 east), was somewhere in the China Sea/western Pacific, east of Formosa).  A notice of items of "Private Trade" (not the main cargo) published by the East India Co 10 July 1798 (though appearing in ‘Prince’s London Price Current’ No 1161 of the 6^th and also the 13^th), records some of what The Duke of Buccleuch carried back from China, which included teas, spices and dye: “350 chests and boxes  Souchong; 149 chests and boxes Hyson; 10 chests Cassea Lignea and buds; 130 chests Hyson Skins; 144 chests Tea; 144 chests Congou; 1 cask Soy; 4 chests Cassia; 2 baskets Mace; 1 case Gamboge; 2 matted bundles Mats; 1 pipe Madeira Wine.” 

We are grateful to Pieter van der Merwe of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, UK for his assistance in cataloguing this lot.