[Americana] [Astor, William Vincent] Nourmahal Trans-Atlantic-Mediterranean Cruise. Sailing from Key West March 18th 1929

No place, no date. 4to. 86 ff. A facsimile reproduction of the original manuscript logbook kept aboard Vincent Astor's yacht, Nourmahal, during its trans-Atlantic Ocean and trans-Mediterranean Sea voyage, from March 18-June 25, 1929. Illustrated with two large contemporary folding maps, of the Atlantic Ocean (dated 1929) and the Mediterranean Sea (dated 1925), with manuscript ink notations (in red, green, blue, and in black) showing the voyage's outbound and inbound routes and stops, as well as numerous vernacular photographic reproductions depicting the travelers, the ship, city and country scenes, and more. Finely bound in full navy blue crushed morocco, with red, blue and white morocco onlay in the style of the ship's flags, stamped in gilt, spine faded; by James Macdonald Co., New York City; maps sectioned and laid down on linen; in blue cloth slip case.

The Nourmahal was built in 1928 as a pleasure yacht for American billionaire Vincent Astor (son of American business magnate, John Jacob Astor IV) at the Krupp Iron Works in Kiel, Germany. It was the third--and largest--Astor family yacht to bear the name Nourmahal (in Hindi meaning "Light of the Palace"). On February 6, 1928, it appeared on the cover of Time magazine, who proclaimed it the best yacht of its time. Astor used the ship for pleasure, exploration, and philanthropy, and was known to often entertain President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1940, Astor leased the yacht to the United States Coast Guard as a weather station vessel, and in 1942, it was sold to the United States Navy.

The facsimile logbook comprises over 100 entries (in the various hands of the voyage's party), and recounts the trans-Atlantic and trans-Mediterranean voyages taken by the Nourmahal, from March 18-June 25, 1929, and includes accounts of the weather and sea conditions, as well as details of the travelers daily activities and escapades. The travelers included Vincent Astor and his wife, Helen, as well as Countess Edith Mortimer di Zoppola, James H. Barney, Lytle Hull, Charles D. Draper, and Kenneth P. Budd (others, including, but not limited to, Harriette Wilson and Ethel Russell, joined at later stages of the journey). They departed from Key West, making stops in Havana, Madeira, Casablanca, Tangier, Seville, Majorca, Barcelona, Monaco, Corsica, Naples, Palermo, Venice, Spalato, Athens, Istanbul, etc., before returning via Sandy Hook, New Jersey.

A seemingly unique production, no other facsimiles, nor the original logbook, have been located.

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

From the private library of Brooke Astor, New York

To request further details about this lot, please email booksmanuscripts@freemansauction.com

1600 W. Girard Avenue, Philadelphia. Please contact the Auction Specialist for details.

Darren Winston

SVP, Head of Department, Books and Manuscripts, Philadelphia

darrenwinston@freemansauction.com 267.414.1247

Darren Winston, Senior Vice President at Freeman’s, has served as Head of Department for Books & Manuscripts, Philadelphia, since 2018. He has been a trustee of the Rosenbach Museum and Library since 2022, is a member of The Manuscript Society, The Bibliographical Society of America, and Philadelphia’s Philobiblon Club.

Raised in northern New Jersey, Darren moved to New York City in 1988 and began his career there as a bookseller in 1995. He spent the next 18 years selling to private clients and at East Coast book fairs. In 2003 he moved with his young family to Sharon, Connecticut where, in 2009, he opened his own bookshop. Darren Winston, Bookseller offered rare and vintage books, prints, fine art, and more, and hosted over 50 book signings and art shows. He was a trustee and, later, Board President, of the Sharon Historical Society, and for six years a trustee of Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Darren has hosted the radio program "Darren Winston's Book Report" for NPR-affiliate WHDD since 2009, appeared in the 2014 book-themed documentary The Paper Trail, and in 2024 he joined Antiques Roadshow as a books and manuscripts appraiser. From 1999 to 2005, Darren was the buyer and consultant to the Fine and Rare Books Department at Asprey, the British luxury goods company, at its New York headquarters. While there he spearheaded various in-store events including readings by Salman Rushdie and Dominick Dunne.

In 1993, Darren was hired as a Creative Consultant to Columbia Records, where he assisted in the repackaging of their 12-record Aerosmith back catalogue. He later sold his extensive collection of Aerosmith memorabilia, which he began amassing at the age of 14, directly to the band.

Darren now lives on the Main Line, outside Philadelphia, with his wife, two children, and dog. The family travels frequently to his wife's native England and Scotland. When not bookselling, he plays guitar in Pumped, an Aerosmith tribute band. Darren also appears on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

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[Americana] [Astor, William Vincent] Nourmahal Trans-Atlantic-Mediterranean Cruise. Sailing from Key West March 18th 1929

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

From the private library of Brooke Astor, New York

Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

[Americana] [Astor, William Vincent] Nourmahal Trans-Atlantic-Mediterranean Cruise. Sailing from Key West March 18th 1929

Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

[Americana] [Astor, William Vincent] Nourmahal Trans-Atlantic-Mediterranean Cruise. Sailing from Key West March 18th 1929

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