The Two Ships

James Abbott McNeill Whistler

"The Two Ships"; 1875, G. 143; Kennedy 148; M.146; W.116: etching & drypoint in black ink on antique ivory laid paper with large coat of arms watermark, signed with butterfly in plate, lower left. 17 known impressions from 5 states; 8-1/4 x 5-3/16" platemark and 12 x 7-5/8" sheet. State 5 of 5, with vertical shading in the sterns of the ships. It is annotated in pencil "No 7" in the lower left margin. Plate destroyed, 1880. Slight light staining within old mat opening.

Glasgow notes: "Later impressions, from the edition of thirty published by Messrs Dowdeswell in 1880, were printed in black ink, possibly by Frederick Goulding (1842-1909), on a surprising variety of paper including Japanese paper, off-white wove , ivory watermarked laid paper and 'D & C BLAUW' watermarked paper. Only six impressions from this edition (assuming it to have been the fifth, final state) have been located at this time and it is quite possible that they were not all sold.

These late impressions seem to have been numbered - although this is not certain. For instance, one was numbered 'No. 19', another, 'No. 23' both on the recto. Some numbers have probably been rubbed out, and possibly replaced by the dealer or collector with their own notes."