A fine pair of marine drawings depicting East India Company ships.

The Tryton, Gilbert Slater commander latitude 20. 30' South Mer: Dist from Java Head 32' West 26th Jan.y 1751/2 … Signed "John Hood at Limehouse 1769" [TOGETHER WITH] The Durrington, Richard Crabb commander latitude 32 South longitude from London 42' East the 30th May 1748. The Stretham, Captn William Pinnell in company. Signed "John Hood. Delin. Fecit. 1765"

These two large pen and wash "sea-pieces" of East Indiamen were drawn by the Limehouse shipwright and marine artist John Hood. An exhibitor at the Society of Artists and the Free Society in the 1760s, Hood is known in particular for large drawings of this type achieved in "Indian ink". The drawing of the Triton shows the ship in high seas off "Java head" in January 1752. Despite two broken masts, the East Indiaman, launched in 1751 and on this voyage captained by Gilbert Slater (d.1785), survived the storm, seeing service trading between England, China and India into the early 1760s. Capt. Richard Crabb made his fortune with the Durrington, the other ship depicted here, on a voyage to Mocha in 1749. This voyage may be that recorded in a contemporary printed pamphlet A narrative of the very extraordinary adventures and sufferings of Mr William Wills, late surgeon on board the Durrington Indiaman, Captain Richard Crabb, in her late voyage to the East Indies... (London, 1750-1).

Several similar examples of Hoods maritime drawings are held at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

2 pen and ink drawings, (image approx. 69 x 41.5cm ; sheet approx. 71 x 46 cm) contemporary ink title at foot, laid down on backing sheet for preservation, very good, framed and glazed. Both signed by the artist.