Antonio Nicolo Gasparo Jacobsen(Danish/American, 1850-1921)Americas Cup, Volunteer vs. Thistle, 1887oil on canvassigned lower right A. Jacobsen and dated 22 x 36in (56 x 91.5cm)Provenance: with Godel & Co., New York, New York.Property from the Estate Francis A. Martin III, San Francisco, California, curated by Steven Volpe.Footnote: This work depicts the 1887 Americas Cup as desginer Edward Burgess defender Volunteer, captained by Henry Hank Coleman, overtakes Scottish designer George Watsons challenger Thistle, captained by John Barr, to win the title. The Thistle was built in secret and was even draped in tarpaulins when drydocked to conceal the lines which borrowed from American design. The mystery surrounding the Thistle was so compelling, when she docked in New York a newspaper hired a diver to go down one night to explore the secrets of her hull. When the boats were officially measured before the race, it was discovered that Thistle was 45cm over her declared length which caused an uproar and George Schuyler, a Cup donor, had to step in and agree to let Thistle race.In the second half of the 19th century yacht racing was borne as a sport. The constant advancements in design led to great pre-race anticipation. The lead up to the 1887 Americas Cup was full of excitement and much trepidation from the American side due to the secrecy of the Thistles construction. Huge crowds gathered for the race. The massive audience filled spectator boats. Though patrol boats fought to keep the course clear, competitors had to navigate steamboats packed with fans vying for the best views. Volunteer was the first Americas Cup yacht with an all steel frame and hull. Built in 66 days at the Pusey & Jones Shipbuilding Company in Wilmington, Delaware, her design included evolutionary improvements to the design of the Mayflower, the previous defender and champion of the Americas Cup, that gave Volunteer "an extremely sharp angle between her forefoot and the lowest line of the keel, great depth aft, and unusually long overhang and a sharp sheer [A.J. Kenealy, Yacht Races for the Americas Cup 1851-1893 (NY: The Outing Company, Limited, 1894), 108]. After the Americas Cup races, Volunteer was bought by John Malcolm Forbes and was re-rigged as a schooner in 1891.