Note 1) Kretschman was an active sculptor in the 1870's and 1880's in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From 1878 to 1880, he exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts 8 profile busts that he had made of notable Americans and prominent Philadelphians, including George Washington and William Cullen Bryant.

Note 2) See the following biographical sketch of Commander George Upham Morris, U.S.N. (1830-1875) from the Naval Historical Center. Note that the U.S. Navy did not hold Morris accountable for the sinking of the Cumberland, while under his command. It appears that the Navy comprehended the implications of the fact that the steam-powered ironclad Virginia, inflicted severe damage on most of the U.S. war ships at Hampton Roads, all of which were wooden hulled and most only had sail power to maneuver and navigate. Rather, Morris was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in July 1862, and continued to be assigned to warships. He was Executive Officer of USS Brooklyn in 1865-66 and achieved the rank of Commander in July of 1866.

"George Upham Morris was born in Massachusetts on 12 June 1830. He was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1846 and graduated with the Class of 1852. Over the next several years, he served in the brig Dolphin and sloop Decatur, receiving promotion to the rank of Lieutenant in 1855 while on board the latter. From 1858 into 1860, Morris had ordnance duty at the Washington Navy Yard, D.C., and further sea service on board the sloop of war Cyane.

Lieutenant Morris was assigned to USS Cumberland during 1861-62, and was her acting commanding officer when she was lost in a heroically-fought action with C.S.S. Virginia on 8 March 1862. Promoted to Lieutenant Commander in July 1862, Morris was Commanding Officer of the gunboats Port Royal and Shawmut during the next three years. He was Executive Officer of USS Brooklyn in 1865-66 and achieved the rank of Commander in July of the latter year. His remaining active service was limited to duty at the Pensacola Navy Yard, Florida, in 1869-72, and he retired in 1874. Commander George U. Morris died at Jordan Alum Springs, Virginia, on 15 August 1875."

Note 3) Kretschman has no auction sales. Given Kretschman’s obvious skills as a sculptor and the magnificent frame in which this crisply executed bust of Morris is framed; the historical significance of the U.S.S. Cumberland and Morris’ commanding of the Cumberland, when it as sunk by the first Confederate ironclad, the C.S.S. Virginia (formerly U.S.S. Merrimack) on March 8, 1862 in the Hampton Roads, Virginia; and that the bronze with which this sculpture was cast came from the Cumberland is a reasonable and justifiable predicate for the $3,000-$7,000 presale estimate.