Fine Gouache of Alan S. Butler’s Ketch Sylvia by Luca Papaluca c.1926

Fine Gouache of Alan S. Butler’s Ketch Sylvia by Luca Papaluca Provenance: Owned by W. J. Riddell of 2 Sussex Place, Hyde Park, London W2. Possibly W. James Riddell, the Olympic skier (see below) Sylvia and Alan Samuel Butler: Delivered in 1925, Sylvia is a Marconi or Bermuda ketch. She was commissioned by Allan S. Butler, the managing director of De Havilland. The Portsmouth Times and Naval Gazette, 21st of August 1925, recorded as follows: ‘The 250 tons auxiliary ketch Sylvia (Mr A. S. Butler), has returned from her cruise to Newfoundland in the record time of ten days, thus beating her outward passage by 2.5 days’ In her first record-breaking year she also survived an Atlantic storm unscathed and sailed around the coast of Africa. By November of 1925, the Portsmouth Times and Naval Gazette, 27th of November, reported that: ‘A 24ft. Mahogany motor launch, with 40 h.p. Packard engines, is being constructed for Mr Allen (sic) S. Butler’s auxiliary ketch Sylvia, and this launch is to attain a speed of 20 knots. Sundry works of minor alterations are also being carried out on the Sylvia, the chief of which is the construction of a galley in a sunk deckhouse’. Sylvia was then largely retired in the early 1930s before being brought back in to service thanks to changes being made to tax rules in the budget. In the Hampshire Telegraph, 29th of November 1935, it was reported that: ‘Considerable alterations are being made to Mr. A. S. Butler’s 250-ton auxiliary ketch Sylvia. Her Gardner T type engine is being replaced with a 6L3 Gardner compression ignition oil engine. Brunton’s feathering propeller is to be installed in lieu of reversing gear, and reducing gear is being fitted to give a slower but more efficient propeller. Sylvia with be hauled on the slip shortly for work in connexion (sic) with the propeller shafting’. Butler retained Sylvia until at least 1936 but more recently she completed a round the world voyage in the early 2000s with the maritime photographer Franco Pace amongst those on board to memorialise the voyage for posterity. She has been based primarily in Italy for many years now, having been restored in the Beconcini shipyard in La Spezia in 1987 and had her mizzenmast replaced in the Del Carlo shipyard in Viareggio in 2006. In 2006, 2008 and 2012, she competed in the Vele d’Epoca of Imperia. W. J. Riddell: A little mystery which surrounds this piece is an inscription on the reverse, believed to commemorate the painting’s ownership. It lists the name W. J. Riddell, and the address 2 Sussex Place, Hyde Park, London W2 but is undated. As such it has not been possible to prove beyond doubt who this might be but the leading candidate is W. James Riddell (1909-2000). An Old Harrovian, Riddell was British skiing champion, racing in the world’s first sanctioned downhill race in Poland in 1929 and then serving as vice captain of the British Olympic team in 1936. In addition to his winter sports career, Riddell spent a year photographing gorillas and cheetahs in Africa as well as being a published author and a marketeer. Amongst the clients for whom he worked in this capacity were Fortnum and Mason, Selfridges and, crucically, De Havilland. Presumably he would have met Allan S. Butler during this work and perhaps this explains how the painting may have ended up in his possession. Luca Papaluca (1890-1934): Prolific but surprisingly under-researched, Luca Papaluca was an Italian pier head painter based primarily in Naples where he would paint the yachts of his patrons, many of whom were international yacht owners. Papaluca worked primarily in gouache and bodycolour and his ships’ portraits are remarkably faithful images. He died tragically young in 1934 but was succeeded by his son Luigi (known as Louis) who painted in a very similar style and was equally popular amongst the yachtsmen of the day.