The interior of an auction-room; through an open door (left) is the sea, with ships flying the British flag. In the auctioneer's rostrum, on the extreme right, stands Admiral Rodney, in profile to the left, holding up a shoe-buckle in his right hand, a hammer in his left. He is saying, "This fashionable Pair of Buckles going to be knock'd down to their Original Owner at one Guinea does nobody advance upon one Guinea 2 going going 22s is bid Gentlemen". His clerk, in officer's uniform (General Vaughan), stands below him in the desk which forms the lower part of the rostrum; he is writing (with his left hand) "The Last days sale...". A man stands obsequiously in front of him, hat in hand, a folded umbrella or parasol under his left arm, saying "if I purchase the Provision &amp; naval Stores that were formerly mine, may I Ship them to any Neutral Island". Vaughan answers, "Ay Ay, if you give a good price for them you may Ship them to the Devil, &amp; goe with them yourself as super-cargo if you like it". On the side of the rostrum papers are nailed up inscribed, "Inventories of Effects belonging to the Inhabits of St Eustatia". Below hangs a bunch of keys labelled "Keys of the Stores". Behind the man speaking to Vaughan is a group of three men: a Spaniard in a cloak and feathered hat is seen in back-view; a man facing Rodney bids "a Guinea" for the buckles, his own shoes are without buckles and unfastened; behind him a Dutchman with a folded parasol under his arm says, "Twenty two Shillings".
<p><br>On the left three men stand in conversation; one says, "When will Ad------l Rod-----y &amp; Genl: Vaun leave this Island".  A Spanish don answers him: "I shou'd imagine tomorrow, as the Sale will be closed to night". The third, who holds a closed umbrella, says, "if he had done his Duty, &amp; had been with his fleet instead of keeping 3 ships of the line here while he was minding the sales we should have beat the french off Martinico".
<br>On the extreme left, looking out to sea through the open door are a Frenchman and a Dutchman. The Frenchman asks "What ship is that"; the Dutchman (in back view) answers "The Sandwich waiting till the sales are Close'd to take Adm------l Rod------y &amp; Gen Vaun to the Fleet". Outside the door a man is about to enter the auction-room. A man standing by the door offers him a paper, saying "walk in Sir heres a Catalogue". 11 June 1781
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<br>Etching
1781<div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1781-00-00T00:00:00Z/9</div>
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