Original Photograph of a Yacht by Beken of Cowes, circa 1920

Antique Hand Colored Photograph of Nantucket Street Scene by Marshall Gardiner (1884-1942), circa 1910, a period hand tinted photograph entitled "Nantucket Shearing Cart and Quakers" showing classic grey shingled houses on a cobblestone paved street, with a couple in horse drawn cart riding away from the viewer, and four women on doorstep and sidewalk, all dressed in period Quaker attire. It is interesting to note that the couple in cart are seated on antique Nantucket Bow Back Windsor chairs. The photograph was titled and hand signed in pencil across the bottom of the old acid foxed mat; the photograph is now mounted in new archival acid free matting, and a photocopy of the original pencil inscription has been preserved on the reverse. The photograph itself remains in excellent condition. H. Marshall Gardiner (1884-1942) was born on September 18, 1884 in Windsor, Ontario, and immigrated to the United States circa 1890, where his father W.H. Gardiner opened two photographic studios, one in Detroit during the winter months and a second at Mackinac Island during the more tourist-oriented summer months. Recognizing the potential of Florida's rapidly growing tourist trade, around 1894-95 he moved with his family from Detroit to Daytona, Florida which proved much more accommodating to the family's photographic business during the colder winter months. Marshall learned many of his photographic techniques from his father prior to going out on his own at a relatively early age. Whereas his father generally used wet collodian negatives, technology had advanced to where he was able to use gelatin dry plates in his earlier years, and later the less expensive and much more convenient roll film. Another very important lesson learned from his father was strategy of setting up shop in a tourist resort. Early in his career he traveled to Bermuda where he shot a series of beautiful Bermuda scenes that he hand-colored and successfully sold over a number of years to the local tourist trade. Around 1910, at the age of around 24, he first traveled to the island of Nantucket. The year-round population of Nantucket was then just over 2500, not nearly enough to sustain a photographic business for the entire year, so he opened a joint Photography and Art Supplies Store. Working as Nantucket's exclusive agent for Eastman Kodak, his business expanded to include the island's only photo-finishing service. However, with such a small year-round population, even the addition of a Gift Shop to compliment the hand-painted photographs, general portrait...

Impressionist Watercolor Shore Scene by Ferdinand Leys (Belgian: 1873 -1960), circa 1920, a hand painted original watercolor on paper impressionist view of two female figures seated ...

Impressionist Watercolor Shore Scene by Ferdinand Leys (Belgian: 1873 -1960), circa 1920, a hand painted original watercolor on paper impressionist view of a figure seated on the sal...

Late 19th century nantucket basket, by Mitchy Ray (1877 - 1956), circa 1920s, a large open oval basket with heavy rattan staves, cane weave, sol...

Vintage Nantucket Basket, by Mitchy Ray (1877 - 1956), circa 1920s, a large open round basket with heavy wooden staves, cane weave, solid oak bottom ...

Antique Seascape with a Five Masted Bark, by Julius Gregersen (German: 1860 - 1953), circa 1921 - 1928, an oil on canvas seascape with view of the five masted bark KOBENHAVN sailing ...

Three charming perspectives of sail boat Zest, each signed Beken and Sons of Cowes, sepia toned gelatin silverprints, float mounted in box frames. English, 1950s H28 cm x W 23 cms ...

An original and large photograph of R.M.S. Titanic by Beken of Cowes, printed in sepia, inscribed and signed in Indian ink TITANIC/Beken & Sons, Cowes. In the original oak frame and ...

A rare original photograph by Kirks of Cowes of the Gentleman’s motor yacht Ameratas cruising in the Solent. She flies the White ensign of the Royal yacht ...

Early silver gelatin photograph print of the Gaff rigged yacht wayward sailing on port tack with Cowes in the background by Beken of Cowes. Signed and dated 1902.

An original Beken image of the Gaff rigged Ketch sunshine (sail no 298) and the Bermudian rigged yacht Mary Bower (sail no 190) both on Starboard tack running down the Isle of Wight ...

A Gelatine print of the Yacht Foam on port tack on the Solent. Signed in ink to the right hand side, Beken and Sons Cowes.