HMS Riviera was a seaplane tender which served in the Royal Navy during the First and Second World Wars. Converted from the cross-Channel packet ship SS Riviera, she was initially fitted with temporary hangars for Short Brothers floatplanes for aerial reconnaissance and bombing missions in the North Sea. She also carried a pigeon loft that housed carrier pigeons to be used by her aircraft if their wireless was broken.

Riviera saw service with the Dover Patrol where her aircraft flew spotting missions for naval bombardments off the Belgian coast.

She was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet in May 1918 where she was based out of Malta, conducting anti-submarine patrols, for the remainder of the war.

She was once again requisitioned on 28 August 1939 as HMS Laird’s Isle, to serve as an armed boarding vessel.

In 1944 she was converted into a Landing Ship, and was eventually returned to her owners in 1945 and resumed operations until she was sold for scrap in 1957.

THE PRINT
This edition print recorded on fine art stock via a large format mimeograph and generally referred to as Giclée prints of premium quality. The paper is white 100% a-cellulose with a distinct textured surface and the premium matt inkjet coating more than meets the highest industry standards vis-à-vis density, colour gamut, colour graduation and image sharpness, while preserving the extraordinary touch and feel of genuine art paper.

The editions depicted on Iconic Reserve are not representative of scale and solely for the purpose of suggestive display and not supplied framed.

STERLING SILVER 925
The edition comes with a Sterling Silver anchor (with a minimum millesimal fineness of 925) which is not pierced through the print but is available on request.