Snapshots of the Past

Shamrock III before the start, Aug. 20, 1903 – Vintage Print

Shamrock III before the start, Aug. 20, 1903, c1903. — historic photograph
Shamrock III before the start, Aug. 20, 1903, c1903.. Historic photograph from the Detroit Publishing Company collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

A window into the past: Shamrock III before the start, Aug. 20, 1903, preserved in this historic photograph. Sourced directly from the Library of Congress, it represents an authentic piece of documented history.

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Shamrock III before the start, Aug. 20, 1903

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Shamrock III was the challenger Sir Thomas Lipton sent to race for the America's Cup in 1903, and this glass negative records her on the water just before a start on August 20 of that year. The yacht was a Scottish-built sloop designed by William Fife, and her presence drew large crowds and newspaper attention to the contest. The race series that followed pitted her against the American defender Reliance, and the match became a major sporting event of the era. The Detroit Publishing Company, known for its wide survey of American places and scenes, made the image on an 8 by 10 inch dry plate, which lets the sails and hull show considerable detail.

Created / publishedc1903.
Medium1 negative : glass ; 8 x 10 in.
GenreDry plate negatives.
NotesDetroit Publishing Co. no. 021760. Gift; State Historical Society of Colorado; 1949.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection
Original scan973 × 789 px
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-DET-64805

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