United States Naval Academy Museum & Naval Institute Press, 1987. NEW. Hardcover in dust jacket, a pristine copy. Jacket in mylar protector. 1st Edition. Oblong 11.75x9.5. Lavishily illustrated with drawings & color plates. Notes, bibliography, 83 pages. "From the rowboats of his childhood to the warships that won him fame as America's premier naval hero, the vessels of John Paul Jones are immortalized in this engaging book by the talented marine artist, writer, and ship historian William Gilkerson. Sixty of Gilkerson's oil paintings, watercolors, ink drawings, and pencil sketches are reproduced here and tied together with a lively text. A marvel of historical accuracy, the pictures are the result of a 20-year research project undertaken to solve the mysteries of the appearance of Jones's ships. Collaborating with naval scholars on both sides of the Atlantic, including the eminent French historian Jean Boudriot, Gilkerson has visually reconstructed all of the vessels that played a significant role in Jones's career. Even the enigmatic Bonhomme Richard is presented comprehensively, although her plans are believed to have been lost when she sank after her epic battle with the British Serapis in 1779, and her reconstruction has defied the efforts of previous scholars for two centuries. Gilkerson's work reveals not only details of the ships' hulls and rigging, but also fresh insights into shipboard life, with close looks at arms, equipment, and the apparel worn by the men in the fledgling U.S. Navy, including that of the ordinary seamen."

$35.00