1872 'Cutty Sark' and 'Thermopyle' Tea Clipper Race 1930s Trade Card

Description

1872 'Cutty Sark' and 'Thermopyle' Tea Clipper Race 1930s Trade Card
NOTE:
THESE ARE NOT POSTCARDS
THEY ARE TRADE/ADVERTISING CARDS.
THEY ARE MUCH SMALLER THAN A STANDARD POSTCARD
AND
THERE IS ADVERTISING TEXT ON THE BACK!
THE CARD DIMENSIONS ARE APPROXIMATELY
4 '' x 1 3/8 ''  or  10.0 cm. x 3.6 cm.
ORIGINAL 1930s TRADE - ADVERTISING CARD
1872 'CUTTY SARK' AND 'THERMOPYLE' TEA CLIPPER RACE
Cutty Sark was built in 1869 to serve the China tea trade and owner John Willis had
aspirations for his ship to be the fastest in this trade. He also wanted Cutty Sark to beat
rival ship Thermopylae, launched the previous year by Walter Hood for the Aberdeen
White Star Line.
On Thermopylaes maiden voyage, she sailed to Melbourne in just 60 days breaking the
record for this journey - only steamers had previously matched such speeds - and she
was said to be the fastest ship of the day. Cutty Sark and Thermopylae in fact raced
back from China on only one occasion, in 1872. The two vessels loaded alongside each
other in Shanghai, then, on 26 June set off in the race to be the first ship back to London.
They raced neck and neck through the South China seas before Cutty Sark managed to
forge ahead. However, at 6am on 15 August, seven weeks into the race, Cutty Sark
lost her rudder off the coast of South Africa so was forced to pull up for repairs. Her
carpenter Henry Henderson made a temporary rudder to see them home, and the ship
eventually arrived back on 19 October, nine days after Thermopylae. Although Cutty
Sark didnt win the race, the ingenuity and seamanship displayed by the crew was
celebrated and owner John Willis awarded carpenter Henderson for saving the ship.
Due to competition from steamships, both Cutty Sark and Thermopylae were driven out
of the tea trade and were forced to seek other cargoes, but they would later compete in
the wool run back from Australia.
NOTE:
THE REVERSE SIDE HAS ADVERTISING.
THE CARD DIMENSIONS ARE APPROXIMATELY
4'' X 1 3/8"  or  10 cm. x 3.6 cm.
NOTE:
THE IMAGES ABOVE IS LARGER THAN THE CARD
TO SHOW THE DETAIL.
SEE IMAGES ABOVE WITH THE RULER AS A SCALE!
THESE CARDS ARE NOT MODERN REPRODUCTIONS
ALL OF THESE CARDS ARE 80+ YEARS OLD
THEY ARE NOT PERFECT
THE FRONTS AND BACKS MAY HAVE:
PAPER LOSS - SMUDGING - ROUNDED CORNERS
23
WE COMBINE SHIPPING
BUY 1 TO 4 TRADE ADVERTISING CARDS AND THE TOTAL TO SHIP IS
BUY 5 TRADE ADVERTISING CARDS AND SHIPPING IS FREE
NOTE:
ON LARGER INTERNATIONAL ORDERS WE MAY REQUIRE REGISTERD
MAIL AND WILL SPLIT THE COST WITH THE BUYER.
INQUIRE IF CONCERNED!