Half Model 9th Defense of America's Cup by DEFENDER 1895

Half Model
9th Defense of America’s Cup
by DEFENDER 1895

This Fine Item Has Been Sold! Thank you!

BUILDER’S PRESENTATION
HALF MODEL OF AMERICA’S CUP DEFENDER of the same name vs. VALKYRIE III Dated 1895

Presented is a half model celebrating the ninth defense of the America’s Cup Races, this
time by the N.G. Herreshoff designed DEFENDER of 1895. It has the characteristics of a builder’s presentation model,
but was likely made by American artisans in the 1950’s using old wood, and traditional methods to celebrate
the 100th anniversary of this defense. This hand
painted creation is a high quality work that commanded a high price, and yet would be much less than what a full
model of the same size hull would cost.

The form
is comprised of a single block for the hull and is painted with white topsides a royal blue boot top. The bottom is finished
in light blue. It has a spoon bow and curved fore foot to the turn of the keel and then angled down to the rudder post.
The 35 1/2 inch hull is mounted on a reddish painted backboard that is 1″ thick and 48 1/2″ long. It is finished
in buff lettering with the burgees of the New York Yacht Club and the Royal Yacht Squadron finished in their respective colors.

Deck view of the DEFENDER
Half Model

Defender
was the victorious American defender of the tenth America’s Cup Race in 1895 against challenger Valkyrie III. Defender
was designed by Nathanael Greene Herreshoff and built by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company in 1895. It was Herreshoff’s
second victorious America’s Cup defender design.

She was sloop rigged with all-metal
construction: steel, aluminum, and manganese bronze resulting in a hull fraught with electrolytical problems that showed up
later. It was owned by William Kissam Vanderbilt, Edwin Dennison Morgan and Charles Oliver Iselin, and skippered by Henry
C. Haff.

Defender defeated the New York Yacht
Club’s Vigilant then went on to defend the cup against British keel cutter Valkyrie III. Following the contest, Defender
was towed to the residence of C. Oliver Iselin in New Rochelle, New York where it remained docked for four years without sailing.
In 1899 J. Pierpont Morgan and W. Buttler Duncan rebuilt Defender to race trials against the America’s Cup defense candidate,
Columbia. Following the selection trials which she did not win, Defender returned to her mooring and was finally broken
up suffering from electrolysis in 1901.

PROVENANCE: Purchased at auction from an estate of fine nautical antiques.

Partial Bow view of the America’s Cup Yacht Defender of 1895

Partial
stern view of America’s Cup defender

DIMENSIONS:

Backboard: 48 1/2″ L x 19″ H x 1″ T
Hull: 35 1/2″ L x 6 3/4″ D x 3″ W
Weight: 17 1/2 lbs

Old
wood backboard

FLAT RATE SHIPPING, PACKING & INSURANCE to the 48 contiguous States
$121.00.

CONDITION: There is an age crack approximately 1/3 the width of the back board at the model’s
waterline. It does not affect the rigidity of the backboard. All the paint is in good condition and there is little loss.
There is a drilled hole at each of the corners showing that the hull was previously mounted using them. The backboard is painted
black and shows some scrapes and scratches.

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