New steam-ship "Australia" with sails. Original engraving c1876

by The Illustrated London News

Antique print of The New Steam-ship Australia c1876 (with sails as well as steam power)

Original wood engraving from a drawing by ship portraitist and principal marine artist for The Illustrated London News. Published in London c1876.

The British sister steamship to Zealandia, Australia was specially built by John Elder & Company of Glasgow, for the new mail service  between San Francisco and the colonies of New South Wales and New Zealand. In February 1876, the voyage from  the Southwest India Dock in London to Australia was expected to take 43 days!

The Illustrated London News was the world's first graphic newspaper. Illustrated news was popular, with hundreds of thousands sales’ each edition. The engraved illustrations were avidly collected and coloured for further enjoyment.

This hand-coloured engraving is a little smaller than half of the page which in full measured 395 x 280mm (15.5 x 11 inches). The engraving has been mounted in antique-white conservation mattboard, ready for framing, and is cellophaned for protection.