SILVER SPEAKING TRUMPET. J. GORDON BENNETT, JR. (1841-1918)UNITED STATES REVENUE SERVICE, 1861
PRESENTED TO COMMEMORATE HIS VOLUNTARY ENROLLMENT WITH THE NAVAL REVENUE SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES FOLLOWING THE ONSET OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, THIS EXCEPTIONAL ARTIFACT RIVALS ITS HISTORIC COMPONENTS WHEN VIEWED ARTISTICALLY. BENNETT WAS A MAN OF 20 WHEN HIS FATHER, FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER OF THE "NEW YORK HERALD" DIRECTLY OFFERED HIS SON'S SERVICE AND NEW 225-SCHOONER HENRIETTA TO PRESIDENT LINCOLN FOR CIVIL WAR SERVICE. LINCOLN DIRECTLY APPOINTED BENNETT, JR. AS A THIRD LIEUTENANT.
A PERSON WHOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS ECHOED AN ECCENTRICITY WHICH CAME WITH GREAT PERSONAL WEALTH, BENNETT LEFT A LASTING MARK ON MANY PUBLIC ENDEAVORS. AN AVID SPORTSMAN, HIS GREATEST PASSION WAS YACHTING, AND HE WAS NOT ONLY THE YOUNGEST MEMBER EVER ADMITTED TO THE NEW YORK YACHT CLUB (AT THE AGE OF 16) BUT HE SERVED AS THEIR COMMODORE FROM 1871-1874 AND 1884-1885. HIS MOST MEMORABLE EVENT WAS THE "GREAT TRANS-ATLANTIC RACE OF 1866", WHICH HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL TO INSTIGATING, AND SUCCESSFULLY WON, SAILING FROM SANDY HOOK TO NEEDLES ROCK ON THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND IN 13 DAYS, 21 HOURS AND 55 MINUTES. HIS CAPTAIN WAS NONE OTHER THAN BULLY SAMUELS, THE FORMER MASTER OF THE LIVERPOOL PACKET DREADNOUGHT. BENNETT CONTINUED TO SPONSOR PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR YACHT RACING FOR YEARS, INSTRUMENTAL IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE AMERICA'S CUP COMPETITIONS, AS WELL AS CHALLENGES ON THE ROAD AND THROUGH THE AIR.
BENNETT OWNED SEVERAL YACHTS DURING HIS LIFETIME. HIS FIRST WAS REBECCA, A 77-TON CENTERBOARD SLOOP WHICH HE COMMANDED, GAINING HIS YACHT CLUB MEMBERSHIP IN 1857. HE FOLLOWED AS OWNER OF HENRIETTA, THE SCHOONER DAUNTLESS, THE STEAM/SAIL YACHT NAMOUNA IN 1882, THE SPONSOR OF THE 94-FOOT CAST IRON CENTERBOARD SLOOP DESIGNED BY ARCHIBALD CARY SMITH, PRISCILLA, AND HIS FINAL "YACHTING MASTERPIECE" LYSISTRATA, A 301-FOOT STEAM YACHT WHICH WAS ARGUABLY THE LARGEST AND MOST LUXURIOUS YACHT OF HER DAY, IN 1900. THE SAME YEAR HE MOVED INTO LOUIS XIV's VERSAILLES ESTATE FOR THE REST OF HIS DAYS.
AS AN IMPORTANT FORCE IN JOURNALISM, BENNETT CARRIED ON THE NEW YORK HERALD AND INITIATED A PARISIAN HERALD WHICH QUICKLY GREW TO BE THE SOCIETY PAPER THROUGH THE BELLE EPOCHE. LIKEWISE, HE INNOVATED MANY OTHER SPORTING ARENAS, INTRODUCING POLO TO NEW YORK AND BUILDING THE FIRST COMPETITION TENNIS COURTS IN AMERICA.
THE SILVER PRESENTATION TRUMPET CARRIES SEVERAL MOTIFS RELEVANT TO BENNETT, INCLUDING AN IMAGE OF THE SCHOONER HENRIETTA, A COUNTRYSIDE ESTATE, SEAGODS AND CREATURES AROUND THE BELL, AS WELL AS A FULL-SAIL CLIPPER AND THE INDOMITABLE WAVES OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. THE INSCRIPTION READS IN WHOLE "Presented to JAMES GORDON BENNETT JR. U.S.R.S. by Chas. M. Connolly Dec. 5th 1861." ABOVE THE INSCRIPTION SITS A LAD WITH A FISHING POLE AND ONE ON THE HOOK. IT IS BELIEVED THAT CONNOLLY WAS A PERSONAL FRIEND OF BENNETT'S, AS WELL AS A MEMBER OF NEW YORK SOCIETY AND A NOTED COMPOSER. IN ALL THE SPEAKING TRUMPET IS A HIGHLY CHERISHED RELIC OF YACHTING'S HISTORY WHICH WAS UNDOUBTABLY TREASURED BY A MAN WHO COULD PRACTICALLY OWN ANYTHING HE DESIRED.
PROVENANCE: PRIVATE SOUTHERN, FRANCE COLLECTION. TRUMPET MEASURES 20⅜ INCHES IN LENGTH WITH A 7⅝ MOUTH WIDTH</P.
