Skip to main content

Video Loading

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 15

Richard Ball Spencer
Richard Ball Spencer, The Brig ‘Era’ Off Dover
c. 1850

Price:$3,000

$3,406.48List Price

About the Item

This mid-19th-century oil painting by British artist Richard Ball Spencer (1812-1897) depicts the brig ‘Era’ before the iconic white cliffs of Dover. Spencer was a self-taught marine painter hailing from the east end of London. Built in Rochester, Kent, the era was a two-sail, square-rigged brig which traversed the seas until being wrecked off the coast of Easington in Durham in 1857. Her demise was reported extensively in the press due to the gallantry of two hardy locals who put their own lives in peril when rescuing the crew. We’ve included a full report in our artist directory. Richard Ball Spencer lived, for most of his life, in Mile End Old Town, East London and often travelled to nearby ports in search of new commissions. He’s referred to as a ‘pierhead painter’, which is a term used to describe those who specialised in portraits of ships for the seaman travelling aboard them. It was far from a straightforward endeavour as each painting would require completion before the ship departed. Works of this nature tended to depict a broadside view, as we see here, and usually with the ship in full sail. Clearly, some artistic licence was involved as the artists rarely left port. Despite the time constraints, Spencer has included some of the finer details in this depiction including numerous crew members working on deck. There’s also an iconic red ensign fluttering in the wind along with a pennant and Union Jack. Richard Ball Spencer is represented in numerous public collections including the National Maritime Museum, Science Museum, Bristol Museum Art Gallery, Government Art Collection, and The National Library of Wales. His son, William Ball Spencer (1854-1923), was also an artist. Held within a splendid 19th-century scroll and foliate gilt frame, which is probably original. Provenance: Private collection, UK. Artist’s auction maximum: £40,000 for ‘The Battle of the Nile, 1798, the Destruction of The Orient after Thomas Luny’, Oil on canvas, Christie’s, Interiors, London, 2018 (lot 173).

Creator:
Richard Ball Spencer (British)
Creation Year:
c. 1850
Dimensions:
Height: 27.5 in (69.85 cm)Width: 37 in (93.98 cm)
Medium:
Canvas,Oil
Movement Style:
Victorian
Period:
1850-1859
Condition:
Cleaned. Canvas relined. Craquelure in areas. The paint layer is stable. Frame with various marks and showing its age.
Gallery Location:
Cheltenham, GB
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU2328215181022

You May Also Like

19th century English Boats on a river with sailing, rowing and a paddle boat

Located in Woodbury, CT

Very pretty English 19th century River landscape with sailboats, a Paddle Steamer, and a crew rowing. Possibly a view on the Thames in London, this piece ...

Category

1880s Victorian Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

19th century English Boats on a river with sailing, rowing and a paddle boat

19th century English Boats on a river with sailing, rowing and a paddle boat, circa 1880

$1,960 Sale Price

20% Off

Free Shipping

H 16 in W 21 in

Victorian Signed Oil Painting Figure by Highland Cottage Loch in Mountains

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

The Highland Cottage British School, late 19th century signed oil on canvas, framed in ornate swept gilt frame framed: 17.5 x 23.5 inches canvas : 12 x 18 inches Provenance: private ...

Category

Late 19th Century Victorian Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Victorian Signed Oil Painting Figure by Highland Cottage
Loch in Mountains

British School
Victorian Signed Oil Painting Figure by Highland Cottage Loch in Mountains

$1,528

H 17.5 in W 23.5 in

Love Affair, Romantic Oil Painting by Henry Stacy Marks c1875

Located in Long Island City, NY

Henry Stacy Marks, English ( 1829 - 1898) was a leading London painter of life and historical scenes. He was a member of Royal Academy and St Johns wood clique. The painting measure...

Category

19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Love Affair, Romantic Oil Painting by Henry Stacy Marks c1875

Henry Stacy Marks
Love Affair, Romantic Oil Painting by Henry Stacy Marks c1875, circa 1875

$12,000

H 27 in W 44 in

19th century English artist painting a Swiss Lake landscape with boats cottages

Located in Woodbury, CT

English School, circa 1870 Continental Mountain Lake with Sailing Boat and Figures on a Path (Companion piece to the previous work) Oil on canvas Monogrammed ES / EJ A closely rela...

Category

1870s Victorian Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

19th century English artist painting a Swiss Lake landscape with boats cottages

English 19th century School
19th century English artist painting a Swiss Lake landscape with boats cottages, circa 1870

$1,950

Free Shipping

H 19 in W 27 in

Antique Oil Scottish Highlands Oil Painting The Pass at Killiecrankie Pitlochry

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

The Pass at Killiecrankie, Pitlochry by F. E. Jamieson (British 1895-1950) signed oil on canvas, framed framed: 22 x 29.5 inches canvas: 16 x 24 inches provenance: private collection...

Category

Early 20th Century Victorian Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Antique Oil Scottish Highlands Oil Painting The Pass at Killiecrankie Pitlochry

F. E. Jamieson
Antique Oil Scottish Highlands Oil Painting The Pass at Killiecrankie Pitlochry, 1920 s

$2,102

H 22 in W 29.5 in D 1 in

Mother Daughter Walking Coastal Pathway, Antique English Oil Painting

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist/ School: British School, late 19th/ early 20th century Title: Mother & Daughter walking along the coastal path, with the sea beside them. Medium: oil painting on canvas, f...

Category

Late 19th Century Victorian Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Mother
Daughter Walking Coastal Pathway, Antique English Oil Painting

Antique English
Mother Daughter Walking Coastal Pathway, Antique English Oil Painting, c. 1900

$1,474 Sale Price

20% Off

H 19.5 in W 27.5 in D 1 in

Very Large British Oil depicting famous Naval battle

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist/ School: British School, second half 20th century, signed lower left 'Champion' Title: a copy after de Loutherbourg's 1795 painting of Lord Howe's action of 1 June 1794 in th...

Category

20th Century Victorian Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Very Large British Oil depicting famous Naval battle

British Artist
Very Large British Oil depicting famous Naval battle

$1,637 Sale Price

20% Off

H 28 in W 40 in

Large Victorian Norwich School Oil Thatched Cottages in Rural Landscape, framed

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist/ School: Norwich School, circa 1876 Title: 'Norfolk Clay Lump and Thatched Cottages'. Medium: oil on canvas, framed Framed: 24 x 31 inches Painting: 19 x 26 inches Provenance: private collection, East Anglia...

Category

19th Century Victorian Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Large Victorian Norwich School Oil Thatched Cottages in Rural Landscape, framed

Norwich School
Large Victorian Norwich School Oil Thatched Cottages in Rural Landscape, framed, 1876

$1,856 Sale Price

20% Off

H 24 in W 31 in D 1 in

Fine Napoleonic Wars Period French Tall Ships at Sea, Signed Oil on canvas

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist/ School: French School, 20th century, signed by Eug. Mavie Title: Napoleonic War Ships at Sea, beautifully detailed with remarkable detailing. Medium: oil on canvas, unfram...

Category

20th Century Victorian Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Fine Napoleonic Wars Period French Tall Ships at Sea, Signed Oil on canvas

Eug.Mauvie
Fine Napoleonic Wars Period French Tall Ships at Sea, Signed Oil on canvas

$1,310 Sale Price

20% Off

H 20 in W 25.5 in

19thC. French Oil Ladies Praying to Madonna Statue South of France Landscape

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist/ School: French Romantic School, 19th century. There is an artists label verso, "P. Grimaud, Toulon". Title: Ladies in Southern French landscape praying to a statue of the M...

Category

19th Century Victorian Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

19thC. French Oil Ladies Praying to Madonna Statue South of France Landscape

Antique French Oil
19thC. French Oil Ladies Praying to Madonna Statue South of France Landscape

$1,747 Sale Price

20% Off

H 29 in W 22.5 in

More From This Seller

Early-20th-Century Oil Painting, Village, Capel Curig, Wales, Landscape

By David Bates b.1840

Located in Cheltenham, GB

This early 20th-century oil painting by British artist David Bates (1840-1921) depicts a rural view in Capel Curig, North Wales. Bates was an accomplished landscape painter who often...

Category

Early 1900s Victorian Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Early-20th-Century Oil Painting, Village, Capel Curig, Wales, Landscape

David Bates b.1840
Early-20th-Century Oil Painting, Village, Capel Curig, Wales, Landscape, 1901

$1,631

Victorian Oil Painting, Rural View Near Guildford, Surrey, British Landscape

By George William Mote

Located in Cheltenham, GB

US buyers pay no import tariffs on this item. This late 19th-century oil painting by British painter George William Mote (1832-1909) depicts a shepherd and his flock before an exten...

Category

1880s Victorian Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Victorian Oil Painting, Rural View Near Guildford, Surrey, British Landscape

George William Mote
Victorian Oil Painting, Rural View Near Guildford, Surrey, British Landscape, 1888

$1,638

Early 20th-Century English School, John Lovibond Sons, Cannon Brewery, Fulham

Located in Cheltenham, GB

This charming early 20th-century English School oil painting depicts the Cannon Brewery at North End, Fulham, owned by John Lovibond Sons Ltd. Founded in 1867, the brewery was...

Category

Early 1900s Folk Art Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Early 20th-Century English School, John Lovibond
Sons, Cannon Brewery, Fulham

Early 20th-Century English School, John Lovibond Sons, Cannon Brewery, Fulham, c. 1901

$2,389

Mid-19th-Century Oil Painting, River Landscape With Thatched Cottage Windmill

By Edward Williams

Located in Cheltenham, GB

This charming mid-19th-century oil painting depicts a river landscape with a thatched cottage, boatmen, and windmill. It’s reminiscent of works by English artist Edward Williams (178...

Category

1850s English School Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Mid-19th-Century Oil Painting, River Landscape With Thatched Cottage
Windmill

Mid-19th-Century Oil Painting, River Landscape With Thatched Cottage Windmill, c. 1850

$948

19th-Century French Marine Oil Painting, Barque ‘Limbe’ In Choppy Waters

Located in Cheltenham, GB

This late 19th-century French oil painting depicts the barque Limbe in choppy waters, with the silhouettes of two further ships beyond. It was probably produced at Le Havre, France, ...

Category

1870s French School Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

19th-Century French Marine Oil Painting, Barque ‘Limbe’ In Choppy Waters

19th-Century French Marine Oil Painting, Barque ‘Limbe’ In Choppy Waters, c. 1875

$2,587

19th Century Folk Art, Swedish Oil Painting, Helsingborg Old Town Hall, Naive

Located in Cheltenham, GB

This atmospheric late 19th-century oil painting by Swedish artist Ernst Philip De Fine Licht (1855-1929) offers a quietly poetic glimpse of Helsingborg as it once was. Though a groce...

Category

1870s Folk Art Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

19th Century Folk Art, Swedish Oil Painting, Helsingborg Old Town Hall, Naive

Ernst Philip De Fine Licht
19th Century Folk Art, Swedish Oil Painting, Helsingborg Old Town Hall, Naive, c. 1877

$2,525

Still Thinking About These?

All Recently Viewed

More Ways To Browse

Antique Broadside

Richard Ball Spencer

Clipper Painting

Exquisite Corpse

Impressionist Cafe Scene

Oil Painting Early 1900s

Original Art Paintings Spanish

Paintings Honfleur

Urban Landscape Street Art

Window View Art

American Impressionist Cityscapes

Apple Tree Painting

Benezit Painting

View All Popular Landscape Paintings Searches