Destroyers in Wet Basin at Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company

A superb original etching by John Taylor Arms, this image measures 10 x 17 1/4 inches, published in 1943, state III/III, cat: Fletcher- 377, U.S. Navy Series #2, pencil signed and dated. This image shows the ships U.S.S. Radford, Quick, and Mervine at the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, South Kearney NJ. John Taylor Arms was an extremely talented and successful artist in the early 20th century, known especially for his exquisite renderings of French cathedrals and other European architecture. He served as a naval officer during WWI and at the onset of WWII was ready to serve again, but did not meet the Navy's physical requirements. Instead, Arms created his "U.S. Navy Ship Series," to support the American war effort.