The Nitrate Clippers
Glasgow: Brown, Son & Ferguson, Ltd., 1953.
A definitive, illustrated history of the fast merchant sailing ships that dominated the South American nitrate trade.
Lubbock captures the operational realities, architectural specs, and harrowing Cape Horn passages of the great nitrate fleets. This copy serves as an uncommon, highly technical reference for maritime historians and ship modelers alike.
KEY FEATURES: Blue cloth with stamped gilt titles on the spine and front board. Detailed account of the trade, individual ship histories, appendices on passage records, and a comprehensive index. Illustrated throughout with black-and-white photographic plates, [some fold-out]diagrams, and technical ship plans, with regional map endpapers. Second Printing. 8.75 x 5.5 inches; vii, 159 pages.
CONDITION: Near Fine in a Very Good Dust Jacket. The bindings are tight and square. Text is clean, showing only light, even age-toning consistent with mid-century paper stock, with minimal shelf handling wear to the cloth extremities. The unclipped dust jacket is present, showing light handling wear and minor rubbing, and is now preserved in a clear, archival protective Mylar sleeve.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE —
Basil Lubbock was a preeminent maritime historian and yachtsman who dedicated his life to documenting the final era of commercial sailing ships before they were entirely eclipsed by steam power. His firsthand experience at sea gave his writing a technical authority that resonated with both professionals and enthusiasts.
This specific edition represents the immediate 1953 second printing of the first edition published the same year, issued by the renowned Glasgow nautical publishers Brown, Son & Ferguson. It stands as a critical component of Lubbock's famous 'Clippers' series, which remains a foundational reference work for the economics of 19th- and early 20th-century maritime commerce.
SCHOLARLY FEATURES
+++ Historical Impact: Serves as a vital primary record of the twilight of commercial merchant sail, specifically focusing on the intense competition of the Chilean saltpetre trade.
+++ Technical Utility: Highly regarded for its strict reliance on official logbooks and crew registries, providing accurate passage times and structural specifications.
+++ Design: Notable for its high-quality production on heavy cardstock, specifically designed to survive sustained reference use by maritime researchers.
SUBJECTS: Maritime History, Clipper Ships, Nitrate Trade, Shipping Industry, Chile, Cape Horn, Nautical History, Reference Work.
Item #22103
Price: $45.00
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