Antonio Nicolo Gasparo Jacobsen (Danish-American, 1850-1921), Portrait of the Black Ball Line 'Isaac Webb', Circa 1915

Signed, "Antonio Jacobsen," l.r., oil on board, framed.

12 in. x 20 in.(sight), 15 in. x 23 in. (frame)

Property from the Buck Family Collection, Philadelphia

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

Provenance:

Louis J. Diani, Sunrise, Florida, January 2000.

Note:

The 'Isaac Webb' was built by William H. Webb (1816-1899), a noted New York designer and shipbuilder, in 1851 for the Black Ball Line. The vessel was in service until 1880. Founded by a group of New York Quakers, the Black Ball Line built sturdy and fast packet ships to transport passengers and cargo across the Atlantic.

William "Bill" Clifton Buck (1928-2023) was a successful businessman, avid sportsman, and leader within the Philadelphia community. Bill attended Lafayette College, where he majored in Economics, and later joined the family business, Smith Kline and French (later GlaxoSmithKline). Alongside his brothers, he founded and expanded The Drug House and later established TDH, a venture capital firm that invested in major companies such as ESPN and Staples. Bill married Laura Thomas (1931-2024) in 1954, and they enjoyed a vibrant 68-year marriage. Together, they were active philanthropists, supporting numerous organizations and causes in Nantucket, Vero Beach, and Philadelphia, including the Barnes Foundation and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In addition, Bill’s lifelong passion for baseball led him to become a partner in the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981, and he cherished the team's successes, including the 2008 World Series win.

“Bucktucket,” their beloved Nantucket residence, offered an impressive backdrop for the couple’s collection of Nantucket art. The furnishings of Bucktucket, a traditional cedar-shake house, and of the couple’s Villanova residence seamlessly blended their varied interests into an inviting and cohesive aesthetic. Bill and Laura loved discovering just the right things to fill their homes, meeting artists and dealers along the way. Their collection is marked by several spectacular pieces, including fine period furniture, maritime painting, scrimshaw, sailor’s valentines, wool-work pictures, ceramics, and folk art, offered within this single-owner sequence.

Antonio Nicolo Gasparo Jacobsen (Danish-American, 1850-1921), Portrait of the Black Ball Line 'Isaac Webb', Circa 1915