Hello, TGIF, and time for some stamps. This is one stunning image I think.   A painting in fact.  Titled the The Dunedin  The ship shows the colours of the  Shaw Savill & Albion Line of London. The painting was by Frederick Tudgay (1841–1921),  and was oil on canvas, originally owned by the ship's captain, John Whitson.

Why is this ship commemorated? I am glad you asked. Because The Dunedin  was the first ship to successfully transport a full cargo of refrigerated meat from New Zealand to England and in doing so it provided the impetus to develop the capacity of  New Zealand as a major provider of agricultural exports, notwithstanding its remoteness from most markets.

The ship was built at Port Glasgow in Scotland in 1874.   She was one of six Auckland class emigrant vessels, each designed to carry 400 passengers. In 1881, still painted in her original colours of a black hull with a gold band and pink boot topping as shown, she was refitted  with a Bell Coleman refrigeration machine.  Fascinating reading about the achievements in those years.

The stamp, oh yes the stamp, I nearly forgot about it,  it is SG 3393, from the 2012 Great Voyages of New Zealand issue. Useful catalogue price at £5.50 VFU.

Have a great philatelic weekend. 

Michael    www.cddstamps.com