This spectacular yacht racing scene captures the moment of victory for the Schooner IDLER, winner of the Brenton’s Reef Challenge Cup on July 27, 1876, crossing the finish at New York’s Buoy #15 in front of the Schooner WANDERER. Titled verso by the artist Edward Moran, whose popularity was high with his showing in the 1876 American Centennial in Philadelphia, where “A Winning Yacht” was the title of one of three Moran paintings exhibited. We believe this painting is inspired and conceived during that show, painted directly for IDLER’s then-owner, Samuel Colgate. Under glass since, it is in excellent condition with fresh, crisp colors.

IDLER, built by Samuel Pook of Fairhaven, Connecticut for William C. Colgate in 1865, was a sleek and fast racing yacht, with an excellent record of victories for more than 12 years. As mentioned, his heir to famous soap-toothpaste company and yacht was his son Samuel Colgate. The family has also closely involved in the Baptist ministry, and higher education.

IDLER won several races this season, and just missed being the America’s Cup defender, bested by MADELINE to face COUNTESS OF DUFFERIN in August. In the July race, IDLER won against not only WANDERER but the Schooners TIDAL WAVE, and AMERICA. She’d sell in 1877 to A.J. Fisher of Chicago, and serve as his flagship magnificently until her tragic loss in 1900 on a storm-driven Lake Erie. This painting is at the height of her New York Yacht Club acclaim, a brilliant and vibrant period portrait by Moran.

An epic moment in time on New York Bay captured by Edward Moran, the Statue of Liberty comes to America on June 20, 1885 onboard the French Ship ISERE, and is met by a huge contingent of waterborne onlookers. Three hundred and fifty pieces packed securely within 214 wooden crates, the Lady was designed by Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi as the shining symbol of the personal freedom of life in America. Gifted from the French people, she sailed aboard the white-hulled merchant ship escorted by a French Naval Frigate, crossing the Atlantic in 50 days. Her welcoming group includes ensign flag-dressed ships representing the world’s countries, numerous cannon salutes, well dressed people waving from near vessels, and tugboats follow awaiting their orders.

Moran spent his professional career painting scenes of New York’s many harbors. His first-person participation in greeting the ship and committing it to a painting is telling of the emotional upswing the project earned after monetary difficulties were overcome. With the monument’s epic formal title “Liberty Enlightens the World”, and as a remembrance of France’s assistance in the American Revolution, she became and remains the most American symbol of the right to freedom, especially for the millions that have emigrated under her watch to Ellis Island, now part of Statue of Liberty National Monument, along with the Statue’s home, formerly Bedloe’s Island. This painting, in its beautiful ornate original frame, is a highly historic tribute to the artist endeavor, the Atlantic crossing and freedom.

This impressive painting by Edward Moran does justice to the epic America’s Cup Challenge of 1885. Moran’s point of view captures the day’s enormity to the world’s yacht racers and designers. This account portrays PURITAN’s second and decisive victory of the match on the 40-mile course, 20 miles leeward from the Sandy Hook Lightship and back. PURITAN reached the line a scant 1 minute 38 seconds in front, the closest margin of victory to date.

Well publicized and awaited on both sides of the Atlantic, the race held the public’s interest while knowledgeable yachtsmen waited to see if Boston’s Edward Burgess had innovated the centerboard sloop design to a degree capable of holding off the challenge of a true English cutter. GENESTA was designed by John Beavor-Webb, for her owner, Sir Richard Sutton.