Framed Nautical Etching of a Two-Masted Schooner

This item is a framed original etching or drypoint print on paper, depicting a two-masted sailing vessel, likely a schooner, navigating choppy waters. The central subject features a vessel with the number '3' visible on its mainsail, and several figures can be discerned on the deck. The composition includes a vertical element on the right foreground, possibly part of a dock or another ship's rigging, which provides a sense of depth and perspective. The artistic style is characterized by expressive, energetic line work and varying cross-hatching to create tonal contrast and atmospheric movement in the sea and sky. The print is monochrome, executed in black ink on off-white or cream-toned paper. Physically, the artwork is set within a wide, light-colored mat board and protected by glazing in a thin, black-finished wooden or metal frame. Notable condition issues include visible foxing and significant moisture staining particularly along the bottom right corner and right edge of the matting and paper, which suggests exposure to humidity or previous water damage. The paper has yellowed with age, consistent with a mid-20th-century origin. Hand-written notations are visible just below the image plate mark on the left side, typical for edition numbers or artist titles, though they are difficult to decipher from this distance. The overall craftsmanship indicates a professional printmaker, utilizing intaglio techniques that were popularized in the early to mid-1900s for maritime themes. The presence of the plate mark (the indentation where the metal plate was pressed into the paper) confirms its status as a print from an original engraving or etching plate.