Brisbane from Bowen Terrace, RMS Quetta engraving c1886

by Schell, Frederick B.

Antique print of Brisbane River with shipping - looking towards the city, with RMS Quetta leaving port in the Brisbane River.

RMS Quetta was built specifically for the Britain to Queensland route. On its twelfth voyage it hit an uncharted rock in the Adolphus Channel in Torres Strait en-route to Thursday Island on February 28, 1890. The worst maritime disaster in Queensland’s history, there were 134 lives lost of 292 souls on board.

Original wood engraving by Andrew after a sketch by Frederic B. Schell (1838-1902), from his travels around Australia between 1884 and 1888. At the age of 29, Schell was commissioned to supervise the illustrations for Picturesque Atlas of Australasia published in Sydney between 1886 and 1888 to commemorate 100 years since First Fleet settlement at Port Jackson in Sydney in 1788.

This is a full page engraving in good condition, with fine later hand-colour. Engraving size is 180 x 280mm (approximately 7 x 11 inches).