S.S. "Discovery"--

1. LINEN OF THE GENERAL RIGGING ARRANGEMENTS
Rigging Plan - S.S. N^{o 133 For Antartic Exploration. Scale 1/8" = 1 Foot}
black, red and blue inks on draughtsman's linen (604 x 845mm., 23 3/4 x 33 1/4in.; drawing within ruled ink border: 540 x 795mm., 21 1/4 x 31 1/4in.), some ink and other large stains, slightly creased



2. LINEN OF THE DETAILED RIGGING ARRANGEMENTS
S.S. "DISCOVERY" - DISCOVERY - 133. Scale 1/4" = 1 Foot
black, red, blue and orange inks and pencil on draughtsman's linen (785 x 1770mm., 30 3/4 x 69 3/4in.), pin holes to corners, tear to top right corner (not affecting plan), edges rather soiled and creased



Together 2 plans, preserved in a cardboard tube from the Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co.

Dundee Shipbuilders Co. (closed 1923); Goole Shipbuilding and Repairing Co. Ltd. (closed April 1984)

After World War I the Dundee Shipbuilders Co. yard was sold to the Craggs family who had founded the Goole Shipbuilding and Repairing Company in 1901. In 1923 the yard closed due to the freight slump, and the Craggs family sold the Dundee shipyard and concentrated on their Goole yard.

R.F. Scott, The Voyage of the 'Discovery', London, 1905 (see previous lot); A. Savours, The Voyages of the Discovery, London, 1992

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

two rare original plans for captain robert falcon scott's historic vessel discovery.

In 1899 the Dundee Shipbuilders Company won the tender from the British Admiralty to build a vessel for Antartic exploration. The keel was laid down in March 1900 and she was named "Discovery" in June 1900, following a line of famous exploring vessels of this name, most recently the Discovery that went to the Arctic Regions in 1875-76. The lines of the old Discovery were to be followed because she was thought to be the ultimate development of the nineteenth-century steam whalers of Dundee, whose overhanging stem enabled her to force a passage more easily through pack-ice. Scott's Discovery was barque-rigged and with engines designed by Engineer Commander P. Marrack, RN, her length was 172 feet and breadth 34 feet, displacing 1,620 tons and with a registered tonnage of 485. Her particular features, for ice work, included a rudder and screw which could be detached and lifted up through the deck at the stern, a massively reinforced bow whose stem was made up of blocks of scarfed wood, bolted and protected with steel plates and heavily lined sides. She was launched by Lady Markham on 21 March 1901.

Twenty three sketch proposals and linens and six blueprints for the Scott's Disovery were sold at Christie's 21 September 2000, lot 72, for £163,250 (inc. buyer's premium), but this set did not include a detailed rigging plan of 1/4" to 1 Foot, as present here. Further plans (but not rigging plans) for Scott's Discovery are held by the National Maritime Museum, London. We are grateful to J. Michell and R.G. Todd of the Historic Photographs and Ship Plans Section at the National Maritime Museum for their kind assistance with the cataloguing of this lot.