This exhibition presented a multimedia sweep of one of the great chapters in sailing competition and trophy craftsmanship: the Goelet Cups and the sailboat races held in Newport from 1882 to 1897 for which they were the prize. The races were among the first American sporting contests to attract national media attention and the elaborate silver trophies, made by leading firms such as Tiffany & Co. and Whiting Manufacturing Co., are considered a high point in nineteenth-century American silver. Locating the cups within the context of the sailing events and the sporting culture of the Gilded Age, Spectacular Silver features a range of historic materials: from yacht models and marine paintings to press clippings and scrap books, culminating in a select presentation of Goelet Cups from major private and institutional collections.

Organized by the New York Yacht Club in partnership with the Redwood Library & Athenaeum, Spectacular Silver brings the Goelet Cup races to life in the original context of Newport in celebration of the NYYC’s 175th anniversary.

Curators: Alice Dickinson and Benedict Leca

Van Alen Gallery