By Dave Selby
BONHAMS
Saleroom
BONHAMS
When Britannia waived the rules The pert and pacey British-built Albatross sports boats, which did
a fixture on the Royal Yacht Britannia. Like his earlier Albatross, the
much to popularise waterskiing in the UK, became playthings for the
new boat also featured a hull liveried in matching Britannia Blue. In
rich and famous in their 1950s heyday.
the 1960s the Albatross was moved to Balmoral Castle, and
Aristotle Onassis owned one of the lightweight aluminium flyers, Prince Rainier of Monaco had no fewer than six at one time, and HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was also a valued ‘customer,’
enjoyed for waterskiing before being decommissioned and passed on in the 1980s. In highly original condition and accompanied by royal
to the extent that when he returned his Albatross for a service, the
correspondence, the Prince’s Albatross is estimated at £20,000-
directors of Albatross wrote to Buckingham Palace with the
40,000 when it comes under the hammer on 10 April.
following proposal: “Would it be in order to sell the current boat and supply one of the latest type? There would be no expense involved.”
Photos above left to right: In time-warp condition, Prince Philip’s very
In those less censorious days the Duke graciously accepted the
well preserved Albatross still has its original Ford Anglia engine; 1957
free upgrade, and his 1956 Albatross MkIII with the latest Ford
photo shows eight-year-old Prince Charles enjoying – or possibly
Anglia 1,172cc engine, which gave it a top speed of 34mph, became
enduring – a day on the water at Cowes in his dad’s Albatross MkIII
ELDRED’S, USA
Herreshoff boat jewellery Much like varnish, we’d caution against using
CHARLES MILLER LTD
One piece at a time From a quartet of Stuart Turner engines optimistically described as “understood to be in good running order” – a bold claim if ever there was one – to ventilator cowls, antique deck lights, compass binnacles, blocks, chronometers and shipwrighting tools, Charles Miller Ltd’s next marine sale on 26 April has everything you’d need to build a vessel every bit as eccentric as the Cadillac assembled one piece at time in Johnny Cash’s famous novelty song.
anchors in any marine environment, and here’s one I certainly wouldn’t want to get wet. As well as drafting the fastest yachts in the world, Nathanael Greene Herreshoff (1848-1938) also applied himself to reengineering the humble admiralty-type anchor into an object of desire. Produced in lustrous and
CHARLES MILLER LTD
costly bronze, you’d be devastated if you lost this early-20th-century 26in (63cm) Herreshoff stockless as it was bought for a fairly Clockwise from top left: Circa 1900 Admiralty-pattern brass tiller yoke, estimated at £300-500; 43in (109cm)
hefty $812.
brass helm, £300-500; c1920 double bridge telegraph, £600-800; 1940s cork life ring from Manx Ferry King
Eldred’s next
Orry, £150-250; Brass ventilator cowls, £150-250; Copper and brass navigation lamps, £600-800
marine sale: 4-5 August
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CLASSIC BOAT MAY 2022
ELDRED’S
folding anchor, particularly
