2726-81. (stereoview) Keeper Capt. Joseph Winslow, Surfside Life Saving Station, Nantucket by J. Freeman. c.1878. This extremely rare view provides great detail as station Keeper Capt. Joseph Winslow stands on the boat ramp demonstrating their new Merriman rubber life-saving suit. Dated in pencil July 30, 1878. In the background we can see into the boatroom floor where their early Manby mortar line gun sits next to the Francis Metallic Lifeboat. The Merriman rubber life-saving suit was an innovation of the time. The inventor, Clark S. Merriman, in a bid to help sea-rescue, designed this life preserving suit, which was made from India rubber and was inflatable. This suit had been tested by Captain Boyton of the New Jersey Life Saving Service, when he was dropped over the side of a steamer into the Irish sea , in a gale. Soon suits were issued to some other stations as warranted, including the Surfside Life Saving station on Nantucket. The suit did see some use including at the well known wreck of the Metropolis near the Poyners Hill station in North Carolina in 1878. There, after a number of unsuccessful attempts to get a shot line aboard the stricken vessel, Keeper Chappell then donned the Merriman life-saving dress and made two valiant attempts to carry a line out to the vessel. There are very few views in existence of the boatroom at Surfside, and even fewer of the Merriman suit. View is nicely intact with only a bit of light age toning. A similar view recently fetched over $700 at auction. (VG+). $174.

2726pp. (stereoview) Keeper Capt. Joseph Winslow, Surfside Life Saving Station, Nantucket by J. Freeman. c.1870’s. This extremely rare view provides great detail as station Keeper Capt. Joseph Winslow stands on the boat ramp demonstrating their new Merriman rubber life-saving suit. In the background we can see into the boatroom floor where their early Manby mortar line gun sits next to the Francis Metallic Lifeboat. The Merriman rubber life-saving suit was an innovation of the time. The inventor, Clark S. Merriman, in a bid to help sea-rescue, designed this life preserving suit, which was made from India rubber and was inflatable. This suit had been tested by Captain Boyton of the New Jersey Life Saving Service, when he was dropped over the side of a steamer into the Irish sea, in a gale. Soon suits were issued to some other stations as warranted, including the Surfside Life Saving station on Nantucket. The suit did see some use including at the well known wreck of the Metropolis near the Poyners Hill station in North Carolina in 1878. There, after a number of unsuccessful attempts to get a shot line aboard the stricken vessel, Keeper Chappell then donned the Merriman life-saving dress and made two valiant attempts to carry a line out to the vessel. There are very few views in existence of the boatroom at Surfside, and even fewer of the Merriman suit. View is nicely intact with only a bit of darkening and some light soiling. Light edge wear. Obverse unmarked. A similar view recently fetched over $700 at auction. (VG-).  $285.

25152b. (stereoview) Surfside Life Saving Station, Nantucket by J. Freeman. c.1870’s. This extremely rare view provides great detail as station Keeper Capt. Joseph Winslow stands on the boat ramp demonstrating their new Merriman rubber life-saving suit. In the background we can see into the boatroom floor where their Manby Mortar line gun sits next to the Francis Metallic Lifeboat. The Merriman rubber life-saving suit was an innovation of the time. The inventor, Clark S. Merriman, in a bid to help sea-rescue, designed this life preserving suit, which was made from India rubber and was inflatable. This suit had been tested by Captain Boyton of the New Jersey Life Saving Service, when he was dropped over the side of a steamer into the Irish sea, in a gale. Soon suits were issued to some other stations as warranted, including the Surfside station on Nantucket. They did see some use including at the well known wreck of the Metropolis near the Poyners Hill station in North Carolina in 1878. There, after a number of unsuccessful attempts to get a shot line aboard the stricken vessel, Keeper Chappell then donned the Merriman life-saving dress and made two valiant attempts to carry a line out to the vessel. There are very few views in existence of the boatroom at Surfside, and even fewer of the Merriman suit. View is clear and crisp, only light corner wear. Obverse unmarked, light soiling. A similar view recently fetched over $700 at auction. (VG-). $225.

2726-61. (stereoview) Keeper Capt. Joseph Winslow, Surfside Life Saving Station, Nantucket by J. Freeman. c.1878. This extremely rare view provides great detail as station Keeper Capt. Joseph Winslow stands on the boat ramp demonstrating their new Merriman rubber life-saving suit. Dated in pencil July 30, 1878. In the background we can see into the boatroom floor where their early Manby mortar line gun sits next to the Francis Metallic Lifeboat. The Merriman rubber life-saving suit was an innovation of the time. The inventor, Clark S. Merriman, in a bid to help sea-rescue, designed this life preserving suit, which was made from India rubber and was inflatable. This suit had been tested by Captain Boyton of the New Jersey Life Saving Service, when he was dropped over the side of a steamer into the Irish sea , in a gale. Soon suits were issued to some other stations as warranted, including the Surfside Life Saving station on Nantucket. The suit did see some use including at the well known wreck of the Metropolis near the Poyners Hill station in North Carolina in 1878. There, after a number of unsuccessful attempts to get a shot line aboard the stricken vessel, Keeper Chappell then donned the Merriman life-saving dress and made two valiant attempts to carry a line out to the vessel. There are very few views in existence of the boatroom at Surfside, and even fewer of the Merriman suit. View is nicely intact with only a bit of edge wear and some very light soiling. A similar view recently fetched over $700 at auction. (VG+). $174.

2726-30. (stereoview) Keeper Capt. Joseph Winslow, Surfside Life Saving Station, Nantucket by J. Freeman. c.1870’s. This extremely rare view provides great detail as station Keeper Capt. Joseph Winslow stands on the boat ramp demonstrating their new Merriman rubber life-saving suit. In the background we can see into the boatroom floor where their early Manby mortar line gun sits next to the Francis Metallic Lifeboat. The Merriman rubber life-saving suit was an innovation of the time. The inventor, Clark S. Merriman, in a bid to help sea-rescue, designed this life preserving suit, which was made from India rubber and was inflatable. This suit had been tested by Captain Boyton of the New Jersey Life Saving Service, when he was dropped over the side of a steamer into the Irish sea, in a gale. Soon suits were issued to some other stations as warranted, including the Surfside Life Saving station on Nantucket. The suit did see some use including at the well known wreck of the Metropolis near the Poyners Hill station in North Carolina in 1878. There, after a number of unsuccessful attempts to get a shot line aboard the stricken vessel, Keeper Chappell then donned the Merriman life-saving dress and made two valiant attempts to carry a line out to the vessel. There are very few views in existence of the boatroom at Surfside, and even fewer of the Merriman suit. View is nicely intact with only a bit of edge wear darkening and some light soiling. Obverse unmarked. A similar view recently fetched over $700 at auction. (VG). $295.

2726-84. (stereoview) Keeper Capt. Joseph Winslow, Surfside Life Saving Station, Nantucket by J. Freeman. c.1878. This extremely rare view provides great detail as station Keeper Capt. Joseph Winslow stands on the boat ramp demonstrating their new Merriman rubber life-saving suit. In the background we can see into the boatroom floor where their early Manby mortar line gun sits next to the Francis Metallic Lifeboat. The Merriman rubber life-saving suit was an innovation of the time. The inventor, Clark S. Merriman, in a bid to help sea-rescue, designed this life preserving suit, which was made from India rubber and was inflatable. This suit had been tested by Captain Boyton of the New Jersey Life Saving Service, when he was dropped over the side of a steamer into the Irish sea , in a gale. Soon suits were issued to some other stations as warranted, including the Surfside Life Saving station on Nantucket. The suit did see some use including at the well known wreck of the Metropolis near the Poyners Hill station in North Carolina in 1878. There, after a number of unsuccessful attempts to get a shot line aboard the stricken vessel, Keeper Chappell then donned the Merriman life-saving dress and made two valiant attempts to carry a line out to the vessel. There are very few views in existence of the boatroom at Surfside, and even fewer of the Merriman suit. View is nicely intact with only a bit of edge wear and some very light soiling, and some emulsion loss. (G+). $85.