Vintage Antique Cork Life Preserver USS Eastern States

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Vintage Antique Cork Life Preserver USS Eastern States

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Sold Date: 09/30/2007
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Fine Art

This is a crew issue life preserver for the Detroit and Buffalo Steamship Company vessel EASTERN STATES. It was issued to crew member Blackson. I do not have a crew manifest for this vessel so I do not have his/her first name. It was manufactured by the Atlantic-Pacific Mfg. Corp., 124-130 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, N.Y. This cork block preserver was of a type common in the late 30's through the Second World War. Aside from the usual wear and tear, this item is in remarkable original condition. It shows no sign of rot or decay. It has been stained over the years but would save a life today if necessary. Weighs approximately 10-12 lbs.
EASTERN STATES was a steel side-wheel passenger steamer launched on December 7, 1901, by the Detroit Shipbuilding Company for the Detroit and Buffalo Steamship Company. She was 350.0' over all with a beam of 44.0'. She drew 19.9' and weighed 3,077 Gross Registered Tons. She was built to run overnight between Detroit and Buffalo in conjunction with her sistership WESTERN STATES. After almost 50 years of service, the D & B vessels were all laid up. The EASTERN STATES, which had last run between Detroit, Michigan and Put-In-Bay, Ohio on excursion runs, was laid up on the Detroit waterfront awaiting her fate. On December 12, 1956, the once proud vessel was taken out onto Lake St. Clair w she was set afire. All her superstructure was burned off and the hull was taken to Hamilton, Ontario, w she was scrapped in 1957. This life preserver was part of the estate of Mr. William Mercer, late of Mt. Clemens, MI. I am selling many of the items from the Mercer Estate. Please check back often. I ship by US Postal Service only. Please feel free to ask questions and request additional pictures of this item. Authentic nautical antiques are becoming increasingly rare and this genuine relic of the halcyon days of Great Lakes Steamer travel is one of a kind. It will be sold with
NO RESERVE!