signed 'Martyn R Mackrill' (lower left)
oil on canvas
66 x 106.5cm (26 x 41 15/16in).

FOOTNOTES
Provenance: Anon. sale, Bonhams, London, 17 August 1999, lot 301.
Purchased from above sale by the present owner.

Britannia and Valkyrie II, two of the most notable yachts of their day, were built alongside each other in D. & W. Henderson's yard at Partick on the Clyde in 1893. Both designed by the great George Watson, Britannia was built for the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) whilst Valkyrie II was ordered by the Ear of Dunraven to challenge for the America's Cup.

Britannia, arguably the most famous racing cutter of them all, was extremely successful throughout her long life and even though she was re-rigged seven times in all, her hull shape was so efficient that she remained competitive almost to the end. Starting with 33 wins in 39 races during her maiden season, she enjoyed two brilliant but quite separate careers under first, the Prince of Wales (1893-97), and then his son, George V, after 1921. The latter grew so attached to her that, under the terms of his will, she was scuttled after his death in 1936 following the removal of all her salvageable gear.

When completed, Valkyrie II made her crossing of the North Atlantic in September 1893 and the first race against the America's Cup defender Vigilant took place on 7th October. Vigilant won this and the ensuing two races thereby retaining the Cup but beat Valkyrie II by only 40 seconds in the final race, one of the narrowest margins in the Cup's history. Returning home, her subsequent career was cut short when, at the Royal Largs Regatta on the Clyde the next year, she collided with the celebrated Satanita and was sunk on 3rd July 1894. The collision had been entirely due to Satanita's efforts to avoid a small boat which had strayed under her bows but the damage sustained by Valkyrie II was so severe that she was deemed not worthy of raising and repairing.

We are grateful to Michael Naxton for his assistance with cataloguing this lot.