Tomaso De Simone

Tommaso de Simone (Italian, 1850-1880) The Royal Navy's screw gunboat H.M.S. Espoir at sea inscribed 'HMS.Espoir.' (lower centre) oil on board, oval 5½ x 7 in. (14 x 17.8 cm.) Built by Vickers at Barrow in 1880, Espoir was converted into a ferry in 1895 and sold out of the service in 1903.

Tommaso de Simone (fl.1855-1858) H.M.S. Cressy lying at anchor off Naples signed and dated 'De Simone 1859' (lower right) oil on canvas 15 x 22 in. (38.2 x 55.8 cm.) Lot Notes Named for Edward the Black Prince's great victory over theFrench in 1346, H.M.S. Cressy was a screw-powered three-deckerbuilt at Chatham dockyard. Laid down as a pure sailing vessel in1846 and converted to screw-propulsion in 1852, she was launched inJuly 1853 and entered service the next year. Displacing 3,707 tonsand measuring 198½ feet in length with a 55 foot beam, she wasfitted with a Maudslay engine which gave her a cruising speed of 7knots under steam. Armed with 80 guns of varying calibre, her firstactive service was in the Baltic against the Russians in 1854-55after which she did a term in the Mediterranean before being paidoff and laid up in reserve in 1861. Never an entirely satisfactoryconversion to screw power, she had a short sea-going career and wassold for breaking in 1867.

Tommaso de Simone (Italian, fl.1855-1858) H.M.S. Exmouth signalling her arrival at Naples signed and dated 'De Simone 1862' (lower right) oil on canvas 18¼ x 26 in. (47 x 66 cm.) painted in 1862 Pre-Lot Text PROPERTY FROM A CORPORATE COLLECTION Provenance with Colin Denny, Ltd., London. Lot Notes Named after Admiral Lord Exmouth, the victor of the Battle ofAlgiers in 1816, H.M.S. Exmouth was begun as a pure sailing ship in1841 but finally launched in 1854 by which time she had been fittedwith a screw propeller. A large Second Rate mounting 90 guns, shewas measured at 3,109 tons and was 243½ feet in length with a 60foot beam. Capable of 9 knots under steam, her first commission wasto the Baltic during the war with Russia in 1855 but she returnedto Portsmouth at the end of that year where she remained until sentto join the Mediterranean Fleet in 1859. Based at Malta, she stayedthere until called home late in 1861 after which she was laid up atDevonport until 1876 when she was put to work as a training shipfor "poor boys of the metropolis" (i.e. London). Moored in theThames off Grays, Essex, she fulfilled this role for almost thirtyyears until scrapped in 1905 when she was found to be beyondeconomic repair. It seems likely that this portrait was commissioned by CaptainPaynter, her commander in the Mediterranean and the officer whobrought her home from her final sea-going commission.

Tomasso de Simone (fl.1851-1907) A squadron of ships of the Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet lyingin Naples Bay during a courtesy visit to Naples one signed and dated 'De Simone 1886', the other signed 'De Simone'(lower right) oil on canvas 18 x 26 in. (45.8 x 66 cm.) a pair See front cover illustration (2) Provenance with The Parker Gallery, London.

Tomasso de Simone (fl.1855-1858) A schooner of the Royal Thames Yacht Club at sea; and A schooner ofthe Royal Thames Yacht Club in a heavy swell both signed 'De Simone' (lower right), the former dated '1850', thelatter dated '1870 (lower right) oil on canvas 17¾ x 26½in. (45 x 67.2cm.) a pair (2)