RPPC Steamboat Wreck Riverboat Disaster Tilted Sternwheel Steamer
$30.00
Condition: *Please* use the Hip photo magnifier to check for flaws on each picture, mouse over to zoom and ... Read more about the seller notes *Please* use the Hip photo magnifier to check for flaws on each picture ... Read More
Condition: *Please* use the Hip photo magnifier to check for flaws on each picture, mouse over to zoom and ... Read more about the seller notes *Please* use the Hip photo magnifier to check for flaws on each picture, mouse over to zoom and click to enlarge. Comes from a smoke free home. Common errors from the scanner vs damage are digital lines (usually grey or pink), cutting off the top of the card/words. Read Less about the seller notes
Powerful real photo postcard (RPPC) showing a dramatic steamboat wreck / riverboat disaster, with the vessel lying at a steep angle in open water while debris and broken timbers scatter along the shoreline. This striking image captures the aftermath of a serious accident involving a large multi-deck sternwheel steamer.The AZO stamp box with four triangles up dates the postcard to c. 1904–1918, the classic early RPPC era on the American rivers.? Front Image DetailsLarge multi–deck sternwheel river steamer, capsized or heavily listing to one side, its superstructure dipping into the water.Paddlewheel housing visible beneath the waterline, showing the immense damage sustained.Lifesaving ring on upper deck still intact, and windows, rails, and supports clearly visible.Wreckage piled on the shore in the foreground:broken cratesshattered deck timbersplanking, beams, and dock piecesSeveral men (likely crew or rescue workers) stand among the debris, adding scale and authenticity to the scene.Distant city or industrial skyline across the river is visible, suggesting this occurred near a major river city or port.Sepia tone with excellent clarity and deep contrast, allowing strong detail of the steamer’s underside and the collapsed decking.This card is an excellent example of the rare disaster-themed RPPC genre — extremely collectible due to limited original production and their documentary value.? Back DetailsStandard AZO real photo postcard backFour upward triangles (ca. 1904–1918)UnusedDivided backClean writing surface with only typical age toning? Historical ContextIn the early 20th century, America’s major rivers — especially the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio — were filled with sternwheel and sidewheel steamers used for:passenger excursionsfreight transportmail servicepacket routes between major river citiesWrecks were not uncommon due to:snags and submerged logsboiler issuesstorms and high waterstructural failure of wooden hullsHowever, photographic documentation of these accidents was far less common, and only a small number of real photo postcards were produced locally when such events occurred.Collectors prize these scenes because they offer:direct evidence of lost vesselsrare views of internal structureimportant historical value for river historiansvisually dramatic compositionThis card appears to show the steamer in the early stage of salvage or inspection.? Postcard DetailsReal Photo Postcard (RPPC)AZO stamp box, 1904–1918 productionApprox. 3.5” × 5.5”Unposted? ConditionExcellent image clarityLight corner wear and age toning consistent with 100+ yearsNo creases affecting the imageMinor edge soil but overall strong and well-preserved? Ideal For Collectors OfSteamboat & riverboat historySternwheel / paddlewheel vesselsRiver disasters & wrecksRPPC transportation historyMaritime AmericanaMississippi / Ohio River ephemeraIndustrial-era documentary photography
Powerful real photo postcard (RPPC) showing a dramatic steamboat wreck / riverboat disaster, with the vessel lying at a steep angle in open water while debris and broken timbers scatter along the shoreline. This striking image captures the aftermath of a serious accident involving a large multi-deck sternwheel steamer.The AZO stamp box with four triangles up dates the postcard to c. 1904–1918, the classic early RPPC era on the American rivers.? Front Image DetailsLarge multi–deck sternwheel river steamer, capsized or heavily listing to one side, its superstructure dipping into the water.Paddlewheel housing visible beneath the waterline, showing the immense damage sustained.Lifesaving ring on upper deck still intact, and windows, rails, and supports clearly visible.Wreckage piled on the shore in the foreground:broken cratesshattered deck timbersplanking, beams, and dock piecesSeveral men (likely crew or rescue workers) stand among the debris, adding scale and authenticity to the scene.Distant city or industrial skyline across the river is visible, suggesting this occurred near a major river city or port.Sepia tone with excellent clarity and deep contrast, allowing strong detail of the steamer’s underside and the collapsed decking.This card is an excellent example of the rare disaster-themed RPPC genre — extremely collectible due to limited original production and their documentary value.? Back DetailsStandard AZO real photo postcard backFour upward triangles (ca. 1904–1918)UnusedDivided backClean writing surface with only typical age toning? Historical ContextIn the early 20th century, America’s major rivers — especially the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio — were filled with sternwheel and sidewheel steamers used for:passenger excursionsfreight transportmail servicepacket routes between major river citiesWrecks were not uncommon due to:snags and submerged logsboiler issuesstorms and high waterstructural failure of wooden hullsHowever, photographic documentation of these accidents was far less common, and only a small number of real photo postcards were produced locally when such events occurred.Collectors prize these scenes because they offer:direct evidence of lost vesselsrare views of internal structureimportant historical value for river historiansvisually dramatic compositionThis card appears to show the steamer in the early stage of salvage or inspection.? Postcard DetailsReal Photo Postcard (RPPC)AZO stamp box, 1904–1918 productionApprox. 3.5” × 5.5”Unposted? ConditionExcellent image clarityLight corner wear and age toning consistent with 100+ yearsNo creases affecting the imageMinor edge soil but overall strong and well-preserved? Ideal For Collectors OfSteamboat & riverboat historySternwheel / paddlewheel vesselsRiver disasters & wrecksRPPC transportation historyMaritime AmericanaMississippi / Ohio River ephemeraIndustrial-era documentary photography
Seller Information
- Seller
- thepapergallery2 (2196)
- Registered Since
- 06/23/2010
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- The Paper Gallery
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- Item Location
- California, United States
- Ships To
- Worldwide
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ID: 60311093
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