Bonhams 1793 : A yachting trophy presented by the New York Yacht Club and won by Gracie;A logbook for the Gracie circa 1889

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25 Jan 2013 13:00 EST New York
Important Maritime Paintings & Decorative Arts
Back to auction 20482

A yachting trophy presented by the New York Yacht Club and won by Gracie;
A logbook for the Gracie
Tiffany & Co., (American, 19th & 20th centuries), circa 1889

in the form of an ewer, with a circular gadroon base with a decorative band of foliate and marine decorations, a slightly tapered body, engraved New York Yacht Club/Special Prize/3rd Class/Won By/GRACIE/Newport, Aug 16' 1889/12 Miles to Windward/4 Hours 57 Sec.", a central waist band chased with cherubs playing flutes and riding dolphins, at the top a foliate decorated spout and band with a hinged lid decorated with sea grass and a closed scallop shell, the handle in the form of an anchor. signed on the bottom Tiffany & Co./10238M6577/Sterling Silver and further engraved with the entries (Titania, Gracie and Bedouin) and their respective finish times.
10-1/2 in. (26.7 cm.) height.

The logbook with a brown leather cover embossed in gold GRACIE/1882., from May 8th 1882-July 1889, with numerous log and race entries, signatures of guests, drawings and water colors of harbors and personages on board, including the Hotchkiss family, the Biddles, the Kellys, also documenting various races against other well known schooners Atlanta, Crusader, Grayling, Clytie, and numerous others. Detailing the Goelet Cup Win on August 6th 1883 in Newport (see Lot 121 in this sale), Brenton's Reef to and around the Sow & Pigs... comical entries such as "Mal de Mer" coming on board with a list of the "worshipers"... visits to Newport, Bar Harbor, Mt. Desert, and at the very back a series of drawings on the pre-sets for different sails.
11 x 8-1/2 in. (28 x 21.6 cm.)

Sold for US$ 27,500 inc. premium

Footnotes

Provenance:
- Joseph Pitman Earle, owner of the sloop yacht Gracie
- and thence by descent to the current owner

The Gracie was constructed by Polyhemus of Nyack, New York in 1868 for C.R. Flint and J.P. Earle of New York City. The most dramatic moment in her history was her controversial participation in the 1881 America's Cup race. Three trial races were held to determine the defender of the cup between the Gracie, the Mischief and two other New York Yacht Club vessels. The outcome of the final and deciding race was clouded by the fact that the Gracie was delayed by a tug for almost two minutes but lost the race by only fourteen seconds. It was determined that the defender of the cup would be chosen between the Mischief and Gracie and would be named on the day of the first cup race against the Canadian yacht Atalanta. When the Mischief was chosen to defend, the Gracie decided to participate in the race as an unofficial entry and in fact finished first. The Mischief however was declared the official winner, easily defeating the Atalanta.