Resorts at Sea - September 2012

Those who even have a passing interest in ocean liners are aware of the etched glass panels in the First Class Ballroom on the United States. Edge-lit, the undersea motif was created by Charles Gilbert and executed by Harriton Glass Company. Many of the panels are on display in the SS United States Restaurant on board the Celebrity Infinity.

The May-June 1952 issue of the Shipyard Bulletin, put out by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, said the sandblasting technique used to create these panels was “the first time this method of carving has ever been applied to fine art.” 

Au contraire …

Cleveland, Ohio native Elsa Vick Shaw designed a glass mural that ended up in the dining room of the 1941-built passenger-cargo liner President Hayes. Made up several panels, they depict a lush South Pacific scene, which was part of the route of these "Round the World" American President liners. While Shaw designed it, Rose Iron Works did the execution.

Elsa Vick Shaw's sketch of the enormous etched glass mural for the President Hayes.

Taken from The Studio, February 1941.

 

I spoke recently with Bob Rose, of Rose Iron Works about this mural. There are two sample panels in their museum, one of which you can see here. Bob’s dad, Melvin, did the work. Sadly, he passed away in February of this year. Bob is working on preserving the company history and was able to get his dad on video talking about the early days. Even though Mr. Ross was a friend of Shaw, he recalled that they got into a bit of a discussion on how the breasts of the native girls were turning out. Shaw was not happy. (It’s all in the details.)

The President Hayes made only one voyage from March to June 1941. After that trip, the Navy took her over. The Hayes served in World War II, and had trooping duties well into the 1950s, when put into the Marad Reserve in Suisun Bay. In 1975, the President Hayes was scrapped.

As the Hayes was the third of the President Jackson-class, and only made one voyage, few photos exist. (Generally, the first born gets the most attention ... “Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!”) A search into American President Line archives is going on right now. I will be over the moon if interior shots of the Hayes are found, but sadly, odds are these sketches may be the only pieces that remain.