Derek George Montague Gardner (British, 1914-2007) The tea clipper Taeping signed and dated 'Derek G. M./GARDNER/1966' (lower left), bears inscription 'Tea Clipper 'TAEPING'' (on canvas overleaf) and inscribed twice with the number '10775' (on stretcher and canvas verso) oil on canvas 61 x 91.5cm (24 x 36in). Footnotes: The widely acclaimed Taeping was the first composite tea clipper to be launched from the Clydeside yard of Robert Steele at Greenock and she was destined to become one of the most famous of her breed. Built to the order of Alexander Rodger of Glasgow in 1863, she was registered at 767 tons and measured 183½ feet in length with a 31 foot beam. Excelling in light winds, she made a very good maiden voyage home with her first tea in 1864 despite being disabled by a severe typhoon off the island of Formosa and being forced into Amoy for emergency repairs. Her equally good run home to England in 104 days in 1865 was eclipsed the next year however by her extraordinary 99-day race against her arch-rival Ariel when, only 10 minutes behind her running mate off the Downs, Taeping managed to dock in London 30 minutes ahead of her rival. So close was the finish that the race was declared a dead heat and the two vessels shared the glory as well as the premium on the first tea cargo of the year. In 1867 she was first home again with the new season's tea crop in a run of 102 days, even though this was not the fastest passage of the year, and 1868 witnessed yet another memorable dash home, with Taeping only beaten in the final stage up the English Channel from the Scilly Isles. A less notable passage in 1869 was followed by being first home once again in 1870, but her final voyage the next year ended in disaster when she was wrecked off Ladd's Reef in the South China Sea on 22nd September 1871. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: AR AR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com