Bronze Age Gold from Wales

Portrait of the four-masted barque SPEEDONIA entering Sydney Heads, with North Head in the left background. Title painted bottom centre. Inscription bottom right. Signed and dated bottom left. Framed and glazed.

SPEEDONIA (3283gt). Built 1902 as URANIA by A. McMillan & Son, at Dumbarton for B. Wencke Söhne, Hamburg. 1906 - Sold to Rhederei AG von 1896., Hamburg (same name). 1914 - Sold to Speedonia Ltd, Cardiff, and renamed SPEEDONIA, managed by R.D. Brailli & Co. In this form she was rigged with royal sails over double top and top gallant sails. She caught fire following an explosion while apparently at sea in January 1917 but made it to Laurenco Marques where she was flooded and rested on the floor of the dock for four days before being raised. 1917 - Sold to Anglo-Saxon Petrolium Co Ltd., London. She was rebuilt in 1920 (bringing her up to 3585gt) involving removal of masts and installation of twin triple expansion steam engines by Cooper & Craig Ltd., Dundee, and renamed SCALA SHELL. She arrived at Osaka in January 1932 to be broken up.