Sepia-tone photo of battleship float, North German Lloyd Line headhouse area, Hoboken, n.d., ca. 1915-1916.
Entry/Object ID
2010.007.0127
Description
Sepia-tone photo of a battleship float in the North German Lloyd Line headhouse area, Hoboken, no date, circa 1915-1916.
Print, 4" wide x 5" high. Photographer unknown. Reverse is blank. People are not identified.
The view is looking north with the corner of Fourth and River Streets to the left of center. The headhouse for the North German Lloyd Line is out-of-view to the right. The Stevens Institute of Technology "A" (Edwin A. Stevens Hall) building on Fifth Street between Hudson and River Streets is in the right background (Hudson Square Park is front of it and note that the trees are bare, making the time of year probably winter or spring - people are dressed appropriately.)
The war vessel with guns painted on the side does have an American flag on the front mast. Nautical pennants are seen, but are blurred and thus if they spelled anything it is not longer intelligible. Aft appears two larger flags which may have been ensigns of the North German Lloyd line or some German national flags. A ship's officer and a seaman in uniform are seen, probably German. Several other people including four children are present. (The girl at the left edge is especially well dressed - fur stole and muff, fine coat, hat plus a purse.) The event is probably related to raising funds for the German crews interned aboard vessels at the southern Hoboken piers. See notes.
Acquisition
Accession
2010.007
Source or Donor
Lukacs, Claire
Acquisition Method
Gift
Credit Line
Museum Collections. Gift of a friend of the Museum.
Made/Created
Artist
n/a
Date made
1915 - 1916
Place
Location
Hoboken
Notes
Date: 1915-1916
Dimensions
Height
4 in
Width
5 in
Condition
Overall Condition
Fair
General Notes
Note
Notes: This photograph is one of 13 different images from the donor whose source stated they were found as a group. They are catalogued 2010.007.0120 to .0128. The first record is definite as to date, 1905, and the other have estimated dates. Similarities in paper, print size, etc., do tend to establish that they are Hoboken scenes.
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Regarding the print in this record:
The ocean liners of the German lines that were in Hoboken (North German Lloyd & Hamburg-American) at the start of World War I in 1914 were interned at the docks with the officers and crews. Since the crews had no income or other place to live other than aboard the vessels, the local German community provided support by sponsoring events, having dinners and raising funds to help the sailors. (Some fundraising was also for the support of the German government.)
It was not until 1916 that activities like this would not have welcomed. The U.S. would enter the war in April 1917 and these piers became part of the U.S. Army Port of Embarkation. Looking closely at the "ship" there is a fair amount of peeling paint especially at the base of the funnels. This suggests that this float had been around long enough for this weathering to take place. Other worn paint is visible as well as loss of the side skirt on the back half of the float.
A detail of a business sign on the west side of River Street in the background (left of center above the bow "gun") is for Grossman's Wine & Liquor House with a large sign below, Workingman's Beer. Street number is not legible, but it is probably 330 River St. as determined from Hopkin's Atlas.
Original or Copy: Original
Status: OK
Status By: dw
Status Date: 2010-08-12
