Washington Winter Show 2015

48 English competitors. Queen Victoria (1819–1901) was present, observing the ships as they sailed past her observation deck. As she watched, the Queen asked the signal-master, “are the yachts in sight?” to which the signal-master replied, “yes, may it please Your Majesty.” The Queen then asked, “‘which is first?” The signal- master alerted her, ‘The America.’” Assumingly, the Queen wanted to know her countrymen’s place, she then inquired, “which is second?” She was answered with, “ah, Your Majesty, there is no second.” 14 The America crew took the Cup home to New York and re-named it the America’s Cup trophy . Upon his return, America’s Captain John Cox Stephens presented the trophy to the New York Yacht Club with a restriction that the trophy be, “a perpetual challenge cup for friendly competition between nations.” 15 One hundred and fifty years later, this friendly competition continues, and has only seen three nations successfully challenge and win one of the most difficult, coveted, and oldest trophies in international sport. The beauty of the America’s Cup trophy has few rivals. Its design belongs more to the realm of imagination as its form and ornament were not a direct copy of an historical object but rather an interpretation of 16th-century Italian design principles. The America’s Cup was designed and produced in 1848 by London jeweler Robert Garrard, principal of what was and is still recognized as the world’s oldest jeweler in operation, established in 1735. 16 As described on the official website: The America’s Cup, silver, in the form of a ewer, round spread foot, the stem decorated with a bead band and geometric strapwork, the lower body chased with pellet and further architectural strapwork enclosing burnished panels, the upper body lobe fluted, each lobe engraved with an inscription and separated by masks and strapwork, the baluster neck stippled and chased with foliate scrolls and anthemion motifs above a band of pellets centre with flower heads on a background of horizontal lines, similarly chased rim to the spout, bead decorated flying scroll and baluster handle. 17 The America’s Cup race grew in popularity, drawing industry tycoons, fashionable socialites, celebrities, and Presidents of the United States as spectators. Sailing remained largely a sport for the wealthy. Today, the total value of a fleet entering a race can be as much as $50 million. 18 The owners of ships or team syndicates have to build their vessels, sustain a crew, procure supplies, schedule regular maintenance, and store their boats. These individuals also retain memberships at the exclusive yacht clubs on the east and west coasts. Yacht clubs began to develop their own races between nearby and far-off locations, accompanied by fine silver trophies awarded to the winners. A jeweler in 1893 observed: To the admirer of art, the cups that the demand for yachting trophies have called into existence of late years are marvels of beauty and originality. The New York Yacht Club has after each of several international races, presented to the owners of the victorious yachts an honorary testimonial in the shape of a fine silver trophy… 19 These objects of “beauty and originality” became the envy of individuals outside of the sailing and yachting communities. 20 Companies such as Samuel Kirk and Son; Reed and Barton; Bailey, Banks and Biddle; Tiffany and Company; and the Gorham Company were now creating larger, more sculptural silver objects. With an expansion in the silver industry, many yacht racing organizations began to commission trophies for regattas on an annual basis. Ogden Goelet, a member of the New York Yacht Club, underwrote the creation of a new silver trophy, the Goelet