The Great Iron Ship by James Dugan (Illustrated), 1953 🚢⚙️📜

1. Introduction 📜🔍🏛️

This is a first edition of The Great Iron Ship by James Dugan. Published by Harper & Brothers in 1953, this historical account tells the story of the SS Great Eastern, one of the most ambitious and troubled ships ever built. With its original dust jacket and numerous illustrations, this volume is a premier acquisition for any serious collector of maritime history or engineering narratives.

2. About the Book 📖✍️✨

The Great Iron Ship is a detailed history of the SS Great Eastern, a revolutionary steamship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The narrative chronicles the ship's entire life, from its conceptualization and difficult construction to its apathetic life as a passenger ship and its final days laying the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable.

The book is known for its meticulous research and its blend of technical detail with a compelling human story. The volume is profusely illustrated with photographs and drawings, which are an integral part of the book's narrative.

3. About the Author ✍️🏛️

James Dugan (1912-1994) was an American historian and submariner, best known for his popular works on naval history and exploration.

A veteran of World War II, Dugan was a master of combining painstaking research with a narrative that was accessible to a broad readership. He wrote several acclaimed books, including The Great Iron Ship, which is considered one of his most notable works.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

Published in 1953, this book is a reflection of a post-war America experiencing a new era of technological progress and a fascination with historical feats of engineering. The story of the SS Great Eastern resonated with a mid-century audience that was pushing the boundaries of technology and industry.

The book places the ship within its Victorian-era context, a time of immense technological optimism and ambition, where engineers like Brunel were celebrated as national heroes. The book is a fascinating look at the triumphs and failures of the Industrial Revolution.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This book is for a curator of maritime history, a scholar of engineering, or a private collector of modern historical non-fiction. It is an ideal acquisition for an individual who values a book for its detailed research and its historical significance. The volume appeals to a collector who is interested in the intersection of human ambition and technological innovation.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

This 1953 first edition of The Great Iron Ship is a collectible item for enthusiasts of maritime history. The presence of the original dust jacket significantly adds to its value.

A well-preserved first printing with a dust jacket is more scarce than later editions, which are often found without their jackets. This book is 72 years old as of 2025.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨

• This book is a used hardcover edition with a solid binding and clean pages.

• The original dust jacket is present and shows some minor shelf wear, which is expected for a book of this age.

• The pages are free of marks or inscriptions.

• The book has been well-preserved and cared for, likely as a part of a personal library for many years.

8. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

• The SS Great Eastern was so large that it was nearly a half-century ahead of its time, but its design was flawed, and it was a commercial failure.

• The ship was too wide to be launched on its side and required nearly three months to be moved into the water.

• The ship's biggest success was in laying the transatlantic telegraph cable, a feat that finally connected North America and Europe by instant communication.

9. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰

• Title: The Great Iron Ship

• Author: James Dugan

• Year: 1953

• Publisher: Harper & Brothers

• Place of Origin: New York, USA

• Format/Binding: Hardcover with Dust Jacket

• Edition: First Edition

• Rarity: Collectible, not rare.