W/C Whaling vessel "Rousseau", and based on cardboard plaque on reverse, the painting is by William J. Swift (1834 - 1911) who was active/lived in New Bedford Massachusetts, the home port of this ship. The oak frame with dowel filled holes was likely made from part of the ship after it was disassembled (according to one of the newspaper articles on reverse, the ship's frame was constructed of live oak, as is the frame holding this painting) - the frame also with incised letters of the ship's name and dates of operation "Rousseau 1801-1893". The back with attached newspaper articles and a cardboard plaque marked "Bark Rousseau / Of New Bedford / Built 1801 / Dismantled 1892 / Water color by Wm J. Swift 1892". The artwork has some wrinkles in the paper - there is also a small 1/2" tear upper right corner, else the artwork is in very good original condition - the frame is also untouched and in very good condition. While the painting is not signed and has not been examined out of frame, it is a great and authentic piece of our whaling history as is guaranteed as described on the cardboard plaque . Note the 1 year difference of the dismantled date - the date on the exterior of the frame 1893 and the date on the cardboard plaque 1892. Size within mat 23 1/2" x 17 1/4 and total frame size 32 1/4" x 28 1/2".