​   Clippership Maritime Art

Why sell your painting to me?  If I purchase a painting from you, it’s going to be a permanent part of my collection.  You’re not going to turn around next week and find it on Ebay or for sale at a gallery.  It’s going to be cherished, cared for and respected. 

I will make the best possible offer I can, and will include the cost of shipping your painting to my location from wherever you are in the world.  My offers will usually range from a couple hundred to a few thousand U.S. dollars, depending on age, condition, size and quality of the painting. If you have something that you think is well above that range, I recommend you contact one of the major auction houses, or one of the many fine galleries world-wide that specialize in maritime art.  Here are a few that I admire: 

www.vallejogallery.com
www.franksfisherman.com
www.fineartemporium.com
www.landandseacollection.com
www.seaborne-fartygsmagasinet.com
www.hylandgranby.com
www.westsea.com

Payment for any purchase would be made through Paypal.  Please note that I am only interested in paintings.  I’m not currently interested in prints or lithographs.  Paintings can be of any size or medium – oil, gouache, watercolor, etc.  If you’d like an offer, email me a couple of clear digital photographs of your painting, a little about its history, and the artist if you know it.  If you already have some idea of a price in mind, feel free to include it in the email. 

Hi and Welcome! 

I’m interested in buying old paintings and original photographs of ships.  I'm a collector of maritime paintings, and if you have one you're interested in selling, I'd love to see it.  While, I’m happy to view any maritime paintings you’d like to show, I’m primarily interested in ship’s portraits of the late 19th and early 20th century.  Any type of ship, sail or steam.  I am also interested in original photographs (not copies) of ships of the 19th and very early 20th centuries.

What exactly is a ship’s portrait?  It differs from other types of maritime art in that a ship’s portrait is a painting designed to document the appearance of a specific vessel.  Often commissioned by the owner, master or a member of the crew, they are the technical photographs of their day.  While some portraits are set on stormy seas, they usually lack the drama of a standard marine painting.  The ship is usually centered in the painting, is usually viewed from the side, and generally has a somewhat one-dimensional appearance.  Like so: