I have a ship model with stern adorned with the name COMET and home port Boston under the name. All I have found about her does not include any references to Boston. She was built in New York and later owned by Brits. Why would BOSTON be on her stern?
Tristram Coffin Dammin, MD
Editor’s Note: Probably not going to be of much assistance, especially without narrowing down the year or the type of vessel. Several vessels were named Comet during the 1800s, including a sloop of the Union Line sailed out of Boston. The information I found during a quick search is below. (You might also visit www.Schoonerman.com and/or various Eastern seaboard museum sites, some of which are noted here: Resources for Maritime Heritage Research)
- 1812: Steamship Comet. British. 42-feet built on the Thames in 1812. The Comet amazed thousands of Londoners by her performance on the swifly flowing river, and did much to arouse a more active interest in steamships.
- 1810: The USS Comet of Baltimore. Thomas Boyle, Master. A privateer schooner, measuring 246 tons, fast, lofty (carrying a skysail and royal studding sails). Commissioned for the War of 1812.
- 1822: Griswold & Coates Line (later Black X Line) John Griswold and Samuel W. Coates had been sending packets to Savannah and started send others to London. By 1822, the Comet, 3304 tons, George Moore Master was filling in as needed. Their partnership ended that year, apparently due to health issues. The line was re-established by John Griswold and Fish & Grinnell in May, 1824, sailing from the Fly Market Wharf in New York, 1st of each month, touching at Cowes, England. Also sailed on the first of each month from London.
- 1825: Union Line of Sloops. Coastal Line: Boston-New York U.D. & M. Williams and Everitt, Childs & Co., Boston agents ran the sloop Comet in 1825 with Ebenezer Silliam as master (and Walter Perry as master in 1827)
- 1826: Ship Comet, 304 tons. William Follansbee, Master. Center Line, Ripley, Center & Co., New York. Established February 1824. Sailed irregularly in early period. Only three sailings in 1826 and four in 1827.
- 1834: Brig Comet, 118 tons, James M. Averill, Master. Smith’s Line (later known as Regular Line) from Philadelphia to Charleston
- 1836: Brig Comet, 118 tons. John F. Trout, Master. Joseph Hand’s Line, Joseph Hand, Philadelphia agent. From Philadelphia to Mobile.
- 1851: Comet – Three-masted wooden extreme clippership built in New York by William H. Webb. Details of her Launch in 1851
- 1859: Bark Comet, 469 tons. D. Rodgers Master. Brigham Line, N. H. Brigham, New York Agent. Established January 1854.
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