Joan Geismar

Manhattan

A Dutch brick from the hull of the 175 Water Street Ship, also known as The Ronson.

This small, deformed Dutch brick, a "clinker," was excavated from the hull of a derelict, 17th-century merchant vessel scuttled to serve as cribbing for land-making on Lower Manhattan's east side. It represents the engineering techniques used by British Colonials to reclaim land from the East River, and the cooperation among those who would benefit, New York City's elite merchants. It is one of many such bricks excavated in 1982, but only one of few retained.