Lot 268: Richard M. Firth (British, 20th Century)

Endeavour and Rainbow in the 1934 America's Cup
signed 'Richard M Firth' (lower right)
oil on canvas
40 x 60 in. (101.5 x 152.5 cm.)

Built by Herreshoff Mfg. Co., Bristol, R.I. for the Vanderbuilt Syndicate, Rainbow was narrowly selected by the New York Yacht Club to defend the America's Cup. Designed by W.S. Burgess with an overall length of 128.56 feet, beam 20.4 feet, and draft of 14.95 feet, Rainbow was steadily improved by adding ballast and setting larger sails. After losing the first two races to Endeavor, Rainbow won the closest Cup match ever, amidst protests and errors on both sides. Rainbow was the fifteenth defender of the America's Cup.
In September, 1933, the Royal Yacht Squadron offered a challenge for the next America's Cup. T.O.M. Sopwith, renowned aircraft designer, wasted no time in using some of his best people to develop EndeavourI. The results of their efforts was a J-Boat that was quite technologically advanced for her time. Endeavour was more technologically advanced than the defender, Rainbow, and was obviously the faster of the two. Unfortunately for the British, that was not enough to take the America's Cup away from the Americans. In one of the closest America's Cup races in history, Rainbow defeated Endeavour I by taking advantage of Endeavour I's amateur crew and out-thinking her captain.