Bradford Whale Ship Painting Hits Auction Block

BOSTON (AP) -- A William Bradford painting of an historic Massachusetts whaling ship hits the auction block this weekend.

The 24-by-36-inch work of the vessel Speedwell is expected to fetch as much as $150,000 when auctioned Sunday in Boston by Skinner's.

The Speedwell left Fairhaven in November 1853 for the fertile whaling waters of the North Pacific. It didn't return until 3 ½ years later, its hold laden with whale oil and bones.

The Gibbs family, which owned the ship, commissioned Bradford for the work.

Skinner's official Stephen Fletcher tells The Standard-Times the painting is still in its original frame and will be auctioned along with the ship's 1857 sailcloth-bound logbook.

Fletcher says he expects lively bidding, considering Bradford has become better known in recent years.

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