You are bidding on a large original antique print from an 1870s illustrated journal. It depicts a work crew of divers. IT is a nice close-up view of the equipment. They worked with air hoses leading to the surface. An interesting early look at the predecessor to SCUBA diving.

The occasion was a sad one. These divers are searching for bodies on the wreck of the Northfleet, British full rigged ship that sank in the English Channel after it was accidentally rammed by a Spanish vessel in a storm.  The Northfleet was headed for Tasmania Australia. 293  of the 379 aboard were drowned. Only two lifeboats managed to get clear of the sinking ship, one without any oars and the other damaged. The captain went down with his ship.