The Ship Model Forum

Hi all modellers:

Would someone of the experts around here know what ship is this ? It is probably French, but I don't know more particulars. The picture is an ancient photograph, in relatively good shape, purchased in a flea market in the south of France.

Any help will be appreciated.

TIA and very best regards,

Willie.

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Amen dico tibi, hodie mecum eris in paradiso (Lk 23,43).

Have you tried google image search? I tried but I get a lot of German ships (SMS Stein, SMS Nixe, SMS Moltke) and even British ships. I dont think this has to be French, who used (someone correct me if Im wrong) black in the European theater. But British or German can be white, or if French then the foreign station only.

The ship has no flag of course, so a bit harder. Those who know particulars of what we are looking at can probably identify what this is. Im curious! Very nice photo find!

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- @Shipific on IG
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Willie,

I am not an "expert" on such types but, judging from the colour scheme, I would venture to suggest that this is a ship employed in "trooping" or the "emigrant" trade. Certainly the British painted such ships white but I don't think that she of that nationality. That might narrow it down to one of the other major colonial powers: France, Spain or Belgium? The location of the purchase of the photograph: the south of France would provide the strongest clue that she is French. I can't see a photograph of a British ship of the period (late 1800's) surviving that long in such a place.

Best of luck with it.

It could be a French colonial transport ship (trooper, Transport 2e class, Transport pour les colonies).

Examples are Annamite, Mytho, Tonquin, Shamrock, Vinh-Long, Bien-Hoa, Nive, Gironde, Magellan, and Calédonien.

I found not yet found the one your photo - but I have not yet checked all on the list above.

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Hi there Pascal, 81542, Maxim and all:


Yes, it was the very first thing that I did, but with not much success, hence my questioning in our forum.

Maxim, after much research and info crossing, I have come to the same conclusion: it should be La Sarthe a transport ship with lots of history in her frames, as she was very active in the French far east colonization. The white color in the hull is definitely a good clue.
This is the closest picture I have got of her:

Even if the rigging is not the same we have to notice that the picture is only an engraving, but the hull is a perfect match for the photograph.

This old fotograph is real candy.

I will do some further research, but I think we have got it.

Thanks very much for your intetest, and best regards from the North Atlantic,

Willie.

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Amen dico tibi, hodie mecum eris in paradiso (Lk 23,43).