Historic Rowing Oar, 1900 Henley Leander Four.

Historic Rowing Oar, 1900 Henley Leander Four.

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Antique Rowing Oar, 1900 Henley Leander Four.
The full-length oar is an original traditional presentation rowing oar with calligraphy and college insignias. It belonged to Robert Octavius Pitman who rowed whilst at New College Oxford, he also rowed for Eton and Leander Rowing Club. He was in the Oxford eight that won the 55th Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race of 1898 and rowed again the following year, but lost. Robert was a member of the Pitman family who were partners in the legal firm of J & F Anderson of 42 Castle Street Edinburgh.

The rowing blade is made by Ayling & Sons, Vauxhall, London, it is a beautiful oar and in original condition. The calligraphy denotes the crew's names and weights with the crests of New College and Oxford.

The blade reads:-

Leander Four, Henley, 1900
Winners Of The Stewards Challenge Cup
Bow. R.O. Pitman 10.8
2. F.W. Warre 12.4
3. C.D. Burnell 13.9
Str. J.E. Payne 12.9

One of Pitman's Leander crew mates were also in the Oxford and Cambridge boat race, F.W. Warre in 1898 - 1899 and 1901.

The two images of the rowing photographs are of of R.O. Pitman, one is the Eton 'Grand Challenge Cup Winners, 1895' taken from the 'Fifty Years Of Sport, Eton, Harrow And Winchester' book and the second is the '1898 Oxford Eight' taken from the 'Fifty Years Of Sport, Oxford And Cambridge' book.

Henley Royal Regatta is an annual rowing event in Oxfordshire held on the River Thames. It is held over the first week in July and last for 5 days. The races are head to head knock out competitions attracting local, national and international teams and one particular challenge is the 'Thames Challenge Cup', a rowing event for men's eights.

As the oar is full length (12 foot) shipping can be quite expensive. We have came up with an ingenious way to cut the oar so as to make shipping cheaper, the oar can then be easily reassembled. One of the images shows different images of an oar that has been cut down. It is cut by the leather sleeve so the joint is less visible or obvious. The oar can then be bolted together to make the oar one solid piece.
Please do enquire about the different shipping options.

From Wikipedia,
Felix Walter Warre, OBE, MC (1879-1953) was an English rower who won the Silver Goblets at Henley Royal Regatta.
Warre was born at Eton the son of Edmond Warre. His father was headmaster of Eton College and a successful rower. Warre was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford. He rowed for Oxford in the Boat Race in 1898 and 1899. In 1901 he won the Silver Goblets at Henley Royal Regatta with J. H. Hale.
In 1914 Warre joined the Royal Garrison Artillery and served in the First World War becoming a major. He was awarded the OBE in 1919. He was later a banker and then an auctioneer at Sotheby's going on to be chairman.
Warre died at the age of 74.

Shipping P.O.A. Subject to quotation and will be charged separately.

Dimensions:

Height 375 cm / 147 "
Width 15 cm / 6"
Depth 9 cm / 3 "
Period

1900-1949

Year

1900

Medium

Pine

Country

England

Provenance

Robert Octavius Pitman W.S. was a member of the Pitman family who were partners in the legal firm of J & F Anderson of 42 Castle Street Edinburgh, later amalgamated into Anderson Strathern. After his rowing career for New College Oxford and Leander Rowing Club he settled at The Corner House, Gullane, with his wife Beatrice (née Sanderson). Robert was also part of the eight that won the 55th Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race of 1898 and the Leander Eight that won the Grand Challenge Cup, Henley in 1899. Hence by decent to his son and now to the present owner.

Condition

Calligraphy very good, small chip to top corner of the blade and a small repair.

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