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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
A logbook for the Gracie
Tiffany & Co., (American, 19th & 20th centuries), circa 1889
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.)
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.