Antonio de Simone (Italian, fl.1860-1900) - Watercolour - American Steam yacht Iolanda in Mediterranean waters, signed 'De Simone 1909' lower right and 'S.Y Iolanda' lower left, 45cm x 66cm, framed under glass

Iolanda was and American yacht, designed by Cox & King and built by Ramage & Ferguson at Leith in 1908. Her registered tonnage was 1,822 and she measured 279 feet in length. She was sold to Russian expat Mme. E. Terestchenko who was living in Cannes at the time in 1912. As Britain and Russia were allies during the First World War, she was hired by the Admiralty as an auxiliary patrol vessel and was armed with 2-3inch. guns.

After four years of service, she was released from service in 1919. After 1928, she was initially hired from the widow of Mr. Moses Taylor of New York's National City Bank as a submarine tender in 1939 under the new name White Bear, then subsequently purchased by the Admiralty and served as a survey ship in the Second World War from 1943-1947 when she was sold our of the service.