ROWING

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AN INTRODUCTION TO

ROWING ANTIQUES

Circa 1890
A Dark Secret
Theatrical Poster
49 1/2 inches wide by 36 1/2 inches tall
Printed by Central Litho and Engraving Co. N.Y.
Carlton Hendricks Collection

By Carlton Hendricks

This Dark Secret poster is one of my strongest rowing pieces. The advertising copy references Henley Regatta in England, but this poster is all American. In the bottom right corner it's marked Central Litho and Eng. NY. In the bottom left corner it's marked No. 1911. I wonder if there were actually that many printed?

Apparently it must have been quite an elaborate production, based on the statement: "the entire stage covered with 50,000 gallons of real water". Some of the American theater posters I've seen from this era were very attractive and compelling. Today it's hard to visualize the theater as one of the main sources of entertainment, but back then it must have been, and these posters probably held a lot of influence.

I go to all kinds of antiques shows and flea markets looking for sports antiques. I found this at the toniest one I've ever been to. The Fall Antiques Show in San Francisco, held once a year at Fort Mason, in the Marina District, right on the bay. Most years there is a Poster Fair at Fort Mason the same weekend, so you can see two shows same day. It's great!

Jay Conover exhibits at the antiques show, and he has excellent taste. This was displayed on the outer wall of his booth, and I happened to spot it. He was asking I think it was around $2,500.00. It fell into the "phenomenal but can't afford it" category for me. Al I could do was take photos. About a month or so later I got the money and Jay still had it, so I was able to buy it. As I recall I think I got it for $2,300.00 Coincidently Jay is married to Sarah Stocking. She's a major dealer in vintage posters. Basically she deals in only the best. All her stuff looks like museum pieces in perfect condition. I think Jay said she'd gotten this in Europe.

c1900

SINGLE SHELL

SCULLER INKWELL

length: 12 3/4 inch
depth: 5 3/8 inch
height: 2 7/8 inch

Silver plate with copper oars,

No markings - possibly French

2006 Price $2,000.00 - collection of author

THIS SCULLING INKWELL WAS FEATURED AS SPORTS ANTIQUE OF THE WEEK NOV. 1ST- 7TH 2009

Front Side

Back Side

Long View

Sculler Close-in

Front Side

Back Side

Underside

In Lineup on coffee table

Overview by Carlton Hendricks

I found this on eBay back a few years ago, but the way I got it was a little unusual. At the time there were some pretty aggressive rowing collectors going after good rowing pieces on eBay. I speculated this piece could get out of hand so I offered the seller $2,000.00 to close the auction. Coincidently the seller who was in France, was going to be in San Francisco shortly, like about two weeks. I live in the bay area so we made a deal. He would close it and bring it to San Francisco and I would meet him and pay cash.

Worked out perfect. The guy did exactly as he said and I met him in the lobby of his hotel and we made the deal right there. Going in I was apprehensive about meeting a stranger in the Barbary Coast with two g's in cash on me...I'd seen that episode of Bonanza where Little Joe gets kidnapped in San Francisco and was wise! So I brought a friend....but no need...the seller and his wife were most pleasant and we actually had a nice visit...a win win.

As for the piece...well...I wouldn't have paid $2,000.00 if it wasn't something special. This is the kind of piece you always hope to walk into an antiques shows and find....but never do. Needless to say it's very rare. Essentially it's sculpture...they just used the inkwell aspect as an excuse to make a nice statue of a sculler. As for quality....I wouldn't say it's tiffany's quality, but it is good quality and well finished. There isn't a shred of a marking to research. I've looked in every crevasse, literally with a magnifying glass and nada...absolutely nothing....not even numbers. All I can go on to date it is the costume of the sculler. He has on the standard shorts and sort of tank top type shirt early rowers wore. But it's his billed cap and period style moustache that impress' me to date it to roughly the turn of the 19th century. For the sake of simplicity, I'm going with c1900, but it could be as early as 1880. As for national origin...well....it was bought out of France. However it could have migrated there from England. I'd guess it's French of English.

Based on the waves, the style is clearly Art Nouveau. Inkwells are an interesting collectible in that they were made in seemingly endless themes. If you go on eBay and look at the ones under Collectibles > Pens & Writing Instruments > Inkwells, you'll be amazed at all the different ones.

boy scout inkwell

revolver Inkwell

stag inkwell

Sledding inkwell

As for this sculler, it's very rare. I doubt it's the only example but I've never seen another. I would place it in the category of being one of the top decorative rowing antiques in the world. Boy are things like this hard to find! I've been looking high and low for stuff like this more than twenty one years and like I say, it's the only one I know of.

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