"Quarter Deck Seas": this particular version doesn't show a publisher, but it was one of N. G. Moser's collection. On some printings, you can make out a circled "V" on the bow of the whale boat.
A contributor to the Naval History and Heritage Command identifies this as "looking aft on the main deck of USS Vermont (Battleship # 20), while she was steaming in heavy seas during the Nineteen teens."
[NH 101060 "Quarter Deck Seas" (navy.mil) referenced 12/1/2021]
The sea is looking rough.
The sea is still heaving and one end of the whale boat has crashed repeatedly against its davit, breaking apart the stern of the boat. Notice the cross bar that the ladder (above) had been tied to is now only attached on the near end.
This photo shows an early Moser copyright stamp. It was postmarked from the USS Virginia, May 4, 1912.
This poor whale boat is going to need some work before it can race again. The deck looks dry, so the storm has passed. A sailor has climbed in to review the damage.
The circled "V" is visible on this print.
No copyright or publisher information on this postcard, but it too was postmarked on the USS Virginia, May 4, 1912. The sailor used the two postcards in place of one letter.
An unrelated postcard (maybe). It's rather low quality, not well focused and the contrast is bad -- probably not taken by Moser, or else one of his lesser and unremarked works. It shows a whale boat (or life boat) that is sagging in the middle, perhaps held in place by some chains attached to a wire above it.
The penciled message on the back says, "Lil, this is one of our lifeboats that was wrecked in the storm these pictures was taken by a fellow on the ship."
It is undated but uses a different card stock from the two above, so, probably a separate event.
This multi-part card is not unlike other Moser multi-parts but doesn't have his copyright on it. It is printed on PRC (Photo Roto Inc) card stock, generally used from 1910 to 1917, which I've never found Moser's work on before.
The three sections are labelled A Quarter deck patroll (sic.), A wrecked life boat, and A salute at sea.
The spelling error is not unusual for Moser.
Copyright information (found on the HathiTrust website)
I'm thinking that all these photos were taken on the USS Virginia, but I haven't been able to find an image of the USS Vermont's whale boat, to see if it used a similar circled "V."
Latest revision: 12/11/2021
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