The Billionaire Collection
Rare Ernest H. Shackleton Signed 1917 Document: “Men Wanted for Hazardous Journey...”
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"Men Wanted for Hazardous Journey. Small Wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success."
-Earnest Shackleton
A leader of men. Ernest Henry Shackleton was born on February 15, 1874, in County Kildare, Ireland. The second of 10 children, and oldest son, he was raised in London, where his family moved when Shackleton was a young boy.
Despite the urging of his father that he follow in his footsteps and go to medical school, the 16-year-old Shackleton had his own dreams, and joined the merchant navy, becoming a certified master mariner six years later.
In 1901, he joined noted British naval officer and explorer Robert Falcon Scott on a difficult trek to the South Pole that placed the two men, closer to the pole than anyone else previously. The trip, however, ended poorly for Shackleton, who fell seriously ill and had to return home.
Shackleton's South Pole expedition with Scott sparked within the young explorer an obsession to reach the Antarctic. In 1907, he made another attempt at achieving his goal, but again he fell short, coming within 97 miles of the pole before brutal conditions forced him to turn back.
In 1911 Shackleton was forced to set his sights on a new mark: crossing Antarctica via the South Pole, after another explorer reached South Pole first.
On August 1, 1914, Shackleton departed London on the ship Endurance, under his command, heading for the South Pole and the treacherous journey that awaited him. Shackleton’s trip was halted when ice closed in on his ship crushing it. In this unbelievable journey, Shackleton would lead his 28 men team, in grueling conditions, for nearly two years, until they were rescued and unbelievably without a single fatality.
This amazing document is hand written by Earnest Shackleton, listing all of his incredible expeditions and the years that they were carried out, including the two year journey of the Endurance.
Earnest H. Shackleton
"Discovery' August 1901 - June 1903/'Nimrod' August 1907 - June 1909/'Endurance' August 1914 - Oct. 27th 1916/'Aurora' December 1916 - Feb. 9th 1917/Lectured Sandringham Oct. 10th 1917".
Headlining the list is his handwritten signature, “Earnest H. Shackleton”.
Above we’ve included the perfect photo of Shackleton, showing the soul of this explorer, and what he has been endured.
Centered below the document are the words from what was said to be the newspaper ad taken out by Ernest Shackleton, while looking for the men to accompany him on this 1914 Antarctic Expedition. One must love the extreme candidness of the dangers and it’s only real reward of “honour and recognition.” The line was said to be long.
"Men Wanted for Hazardous Journey. Small Wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success."
-Earnest Shackleton
All of this is beautifully framed in our hand built, contemporary, wide frame, enhanced with professional white matting.
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