The Lawson History of the America's Cup. A Record of Fifty Years -
Winfield. M. Thompson, Thomas W. Lawson
1902 - Privately Printed, Boston - First and Limited Edition, of which this is number 1560
A beautiful copy in publisher’s binding, of this large and splendid volume, over 400 pages illustrated with eighty-nine full page plates of which sixteen are colour and two are maps outlined in colour.
Detailing the history of the America’s Cup from 1851 to 1902, it’s challenges, yachts, protests, characters and an appendix of press articles. There is nothing finer.
Scarce in this condition even more so in the original magnificent gilt pictorial white canvas cloth binding with green morocco title label. Privately printed for private distribution only, and limited to 3,000 copies most of which were presented to prominent members of the yachting community and to rather special libraries this particular copy was presented to ‘The Public Library of Cincinnati’ which was founded in 1802, in 1874 it moved into its new premises built at a cost of US$380,000, the equivalent of US$10 million in 2023. Provenance: From the private library of Frederick C. Fletcher (1874-1958) of Boston, a graduate of Cornell and member of the New York Yacht Club, possibly for his ‘Yacht Room’ in Fletcher House, Brookline, Mass. Fletcher, whose fortune came from the family textile business, Pocasset Worsted Co., owned the what may be considered the super yacht of the time, ‘Christina’, a 177 foot steel-hulled steam yacht designed by naval architects Gielow and Orr and built at Wilmington, Delaware by Pusey and Jones Co.
‘One of the major America's Cup works’ - Morris & Howland.
References: Toy, Adventures Afloat, 1621. Morris & Howland, Yachting in America 82.
Quarto (book size 30.8x20.5x7.2cm), pp. [2] xv [1] 402 [2]. In the original publisher's cream cloth with gilt pictorial upper, green morocco label and gilt decoration to spine, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Condition: Fine in near fine cloth, spine gently toned, and some light soiling. Ref: 111421 Price: HK$ 15,000
Detailing the history of the America’s Cup from 1851 to 1902, it’s challenges, yachts, protests, characters and an appendix of press articles. There is nothing finer.
Scarce in this condition even more so in the original magnificent gilt pictorial white canvas cloth binding with green morocco title label. Privately printed for private distribution only, and limited to 3,000 copies most of which were presented to prominent members of the yachting community and to rather special libraries this particular copy was presented to ‘The Public Library of Cincinnati’ which was founded in 1802, in 1874 it moved into its new premises built at a cost of US$380,000, the equivalent of US$10 million in 2023. Provenance: From the private library of Frederick C. Fletcher (1874-1958) of Boston, a graduate of Cornell and member of the New York Yacht Club, possibly for his ‘Yacht Room’ in Fletcher House, Brookline, Mass. Fletcher, whose fortune came from the family textile business, Pocasset Worsted Co., owned the what may be considered the super yacht of the time, ‘Christina’, a 177 foot steel-hulled steam yacht designed by naval architects Gielow and Orr and built at Wilmington, Delaware by Pusey and Jones Co.
‘One of the major America's Cup works’ - Morris & Howland.
References: Toy, Adventures Afloat, 1621. Morris & Howland, Yachting in America 82.
Quarto (book size 30.8x20.5x7.2cm), pp. [2] xv [1] 402 [2]. In the original publisher's cream cloth with gilt pictorial upper, green morocco label and gilt decoration to spine, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Condition: Fine in near fine cloth, spine gently toned, and some light soiling. Ref: 111421 Price: HK$ 15,000