CIRCA 1873 HANDWRITTEN TRAVEL DIARY EUROPEAN GRAND TOUR AMERICAN GERMANY AUSTRIA
Item History & Price
Up for auction is travel diary to Europe circa 1873.The author was Charles R. Potter. His diary contains 45 double sided pages so about 90 pages in total, plus several amateur sketches inside the rear cover. Potter an American left New York on the S.S. “Silesia”. Potter’s diary entries are written partially at sea (including the christenings of two children born in steerage) and partially on the road.
His diary records the travels and experiences of an independent "E...uropean Grand Tour" and elaborates on his many stops in the cities of Germany, Austria, Netherlands, and England. While on this journey he visits Jewish synagogues, attends opera and ballet performances and enjoys " a lodge Banquet with our Masonic Brethren" in a Masonic Lodge in Furth, Germany. Perhaps fleeing the Cholera outbreak by departing in May, Potter arrived home in September to the unfolding of the "Panic of 1873", which closed the Stock Exchange for 10 days and caused an ensuing economic depression that lasted for the next five years.
Included with the diary is a period tintype (Ferrotype) of the Potter. The diary is bound in a leather measures 6-1/4 inches, all illustrated with a number of sketches showing the various people and places visited (including Hamburg's Mayor), loosely laid in is a Ferrotype portrait of Potter, taken at Estabrooke's Studio in Piccadilly, London. Volume with light wear to extremities, hinges cracked, storage pocket at rear (containing the Ferrotype portrait and a single folded sheet of personal notes) has a small old tape repair at front. Provenance written in ink onto front pastedown "B. 1836. age 37" etc. and at the end of voyage log by a relative "I sailed out of Boston Harbor Feb. 28, 1944 bound for the war in Europe 71 years later. Orland Potter. As always any questions feel free to ask
Excerpts from Potters diary. Keep in mind just a fraction of the content Feel free to ask any questions, or comments.
May 29, 1873
On board the steamer Siliesia for Hamburg left New York 1/2 past 2 pm weather very fine speed of vessel at 7 pm 13 knots per hour. Health good eat my regular meals. Full amount of passengers on board. Studied the character of 3 or 4 different individuals and found them somewhat agreeable to my ideas. Quite a number of Jews among the passengers secured the best cabin and found everything splendidly managed onboard retired at 4pm.
June 1, 1873
I got permission to examine the machinery and fire room and was much interested. Cursed despotic headache thought it best to let my supper slide tried hard to vomit. Wind moderate and dead not so much sickness today among the passengers.
June 13, 1873 -Hamburg
We have just stopped at delightful beer gardens one of the most respectable kind. The foliage of the place is beautiful and everybody enjoys it. Wine of the finest quality is about 1 dollar per bottle. Beer especially cheap have not seen the first rough or ungentlemanly personage as yet. Even the waiters are of a class of servants that are I should say exceed American servants by the greatest odds.
I am now waiting at the RR Depot for departure 3 pm will arrive Berlin at 9am 190 miles land as flat as a pancake.Opposite station thatch roof of house with straw. I never saw such a perfectly clean country everything is done by regulations not a thing out of place no stable no dirt anywhere. Expect the clean ground solders of all regiments are to be seen at all times and at every place.
June 19, 1873- Kingdom of Saxony
Left Berlin 3:40 pm for Dresden we are now in the Kingdom of Saxony. The country from Beretz we each near here is very flat but there is a change in Saxony Hills and dales where we see the first of the wine producing ?
July 19, 1873
Arose at 7 am breakfast and perused the city till noon. Brought a traveling bag I took dinner Roberts and his friend William then will carried out their mutual plan of movements and left town suddenly for Lucerne and any other place that suits them. I am here alone, and have got to wriggle through from these parts to France and through France to Paris. Devilish little English spoken here expect to have a good old time alone for the next week. Don’t expect to fellows for a week they are better off than one for they speak German and I do not.
Took a delightful walk about one mile to see a sick American from Tennessee. A fine man but very sick bleeding lungs he is living at his doctors house beautiful place. I talked to him and his wife sometime respecting his low spirits and before I left. He seems to feel the force of my reasoning. Try and keep a good passionate state of mind. I wish I could come and his wife was very pleased with my acquaintance and the effect it made on him.
Sept 5, 1873
Arose 7 am fine enjoying smooth seas breakfast 5 sailed in strong head wind weather very fine distance remaining 237 miles spoke to Norwegian bunk mate 4 pm dinner lots of fun going on with the sailors. Game of Bear in the ring afterwards the donkey and darkies. The most fun for a long time anther beautiful evening. The north star shining and not a cloud to be seen. Cabin passengers are playing games returned 11 pm running 10 knots.
Sept 7, 1873
Arose 8 am beautiful morning wind NW breakfast not a cloud and the unexpected christening of the two children that were born on the evening this last week.The name of one was called after the ship taking the feminine Aqutina. The other child they called Undine after which we listened
His diary records the travels and experiences of an independent "E...uropean Grand Tour" and elaborates on his many stops in the cities of Germany, Austria, Netherlands, and England. While on this journey he visits Jewish synagogues, attends opera and ballet performances and enjoys " a lodge Banquet with our Masonic Brethren" in a Masonic Lodge in Furth, Germany. Perhaps fleeing the Cholera outbreak by departing in May, Potter arrived home in September to the unfolding of the "Panic of 1873", which closed the Stock Exchange for 10 days and caused an ensuing economic depression that lasted for the next five years.
Included with the diary is a period tintype (Ferrotype) of the Potter. The diary is bound in a leather measures 6-1/4 inches, all illustrated with a number of sketches showing the various people and places visited (including Hamburg's Mayor), loosely laid in is a Ferrotype portrait of Potter, taken at Estabrooke's Studio in Piccadilly, London. Volume with light wear to extremities, hinges cracked, storage pocket at rear (containing the Ferrotype portrait and a single folded sheet of personal notes) has a small old tape repair at front. Provenance written in ink onto front pastedown "B. 1836. age 37" etc. and at the end of voyage log by a relative "I sailed out of Boston Harbor Feb. 28, 1944 bound for the war in Europe 71 years later. Orland Potter. As always any questions feel free to ask
Excerpts from Potters diary. Keep in mind just a fraction of the content Feel free to ask any questions, or comments.
May 29, 1873
On board the steamer Siliesia for Hamburg left New York 1/2 past 2 pm weather very fine speed of vessel at 7 pm 13 knots per hour. Health good eat my regular meals. Full amount of passengers on board. Studied the character of 3 or 4 different individuals and found them somewhat agreeable to my ideas. Quite a number of Jews among the passengers secured the best cabin and found everything splendidly managed onboard retired at 4pm.
June 1, 1873
I got permission to examine the machinery and fire room and was much interested. Cursed despotic headache thought it best to let my supper slide tried hard to vomit. Wind moderate and dead not so much sickness today among the passengers.
June 13, 1873 -Hamburg
We have just stopped at delightful beer gardens one of the most respectable kind. The foliage of the place is beautiful and everybody enjoys it. Wine of the finest quality is about 1 dollar per bottle. Beer especially cheap have not seen the first rough or ungentlemanly personage as yet. Even the waiters are of a class of servants that are I should say exceed American servants by the greatest odds.
I am now waiting at the RR Depot for departure 3 pm will arrive Berlin at 9am 190 miles land as flat as a pancake.Opposite station thatch roof of house with straw. I never saw such a perfectly clean country everything is done by regulations not a thing out of place no stable no dirt anywhere. Expect the clean ground solders of all regiments are to be seen at all times and at every place.
June 19, 1873- Kingdom of Saxony
Left Berlin 3:40 pm for Dresden we are now in the Kingdom of Saxony. The country from Beretz we each near here is very flat but there is a change in Saxony Hills and dales where we see the first of the wine producing ?
July 19, 1873
Arose at 7 am breakfast and perused the city till noon. Brought a traveling bag I took dinner Roberts and his friend William then will carried out their mutual plan of movements and left town suddenly for Lucerne and any other place that suits them. I am here alone, and have got to wriggle through from these parts to France and through France to Paris. Devilish little English spoken here expect to have a good old time alone for the next week. Don’t expect to fellows for a week they are better off than one for they speak German and I do not.
Took a delightful walk about one mile to see a sick American from Tennessee. A fine man but very sick bleeding lungs he is living at his doctors house beautiful place. I talked to him and his wife sometime respecting his low spirits and before I left. He seems to feel the force of my reasoning. Try and keep a good passionate state of mind. I wish I could come and his wife was very pleased with my acquaintance and the effect it made on him.
Sept 5, 1873
Arose 7 am fine enjoying smooth seas breakfast 5 sailed in strong head wind weather very fine distance remaining 237 miles spoke to Norwegian bunk mate 4 pm dinner lots of fun going on with the sailors. Game of Bear in the ring afterwards the donkey and darkies. The most fun for a long time anther beautiful evening. The north star shining and not a cloud to be seen. Cabin passengers are playing games returned 11 pm running 10 knots.
Sept 7, 1873
Arose 8 am beautiful morning wind NW breakfast not a cloud and the unexpected christening of the two children that were born on the evening this last week.The name of one was called after the ship taking the feminine Aqutina. The other child they called Undine after which we listened
