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Auction: 16018 - Bonds and Share Certificates of the World
Lot: 959

(x) Spain: La Navegación Submarina, Accion, $25, Serie A, Barcelona, 19 Julio 1864. #2934. One of the most important items in submarine history. Original signature of Monturiol. In the underprint image of Ictineo II and symbolized corrals. VF

The Navegacion Submarina was founded in Barcelona by Narcís Monturiol i Estarriol (1819-1885). He built the first air independent and combustion engine driven submarine in history. The first dive of his first submarine, Ictineo I, took place in 1859 in the harbour of Barcelona. During the summer of 1859 Monturiol performed more than 20 dives in the submarine Ictineo. Ictineo I was eventually destroyed by accident in January 1862, when a cargo vessel ran into it while it was berthed. As Monturiol did not succeed to get support from the Spanish government in Madrid, he wrote a "letter to the nation", asking Catalan people to support his project. The letter was a great success, bringing in a total of Pts 300,000. With these funds "La Navegación Submarina" was formed with the objective of building Ictineo II. In 1867, Ictineo II made its first surface journey using steam-power, averaging 3.5 knots with a top speed of 4.5 knots. Two months later, Monturiol submerged the vessel and successfully tested his anaerobic engine. However, it was too late, only nine days later the company ran out of cash and was declared bankrupt. The submarine was sold for scraps. Replicas of Monturiol's submarines can be seen in the Barcelona Marine Museum and the harbour of Barcelona.

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Sold for
£350