The new set of books titled 'The Holy Grail of Yachting: The Art of the America's Cup is the vision and has been made possible with the support of William I. Koch winner of the 1992 America's Cup. Alan and Janice have spent the last seven years identifying America's Cup artifacts dating between 1851 and the present. They have been writing and working with their design team to create what will become a set of books of up to 9 volumes containing approximately 3,000 pages with over 2000 illustrations. The set will contain 35 chapters. Each chapter will discuss and illustrate items from a single America's Cup Series.
The book will include paintings by well-known artists such James E. Buttersworth, Fitz Henry Lane and James Gale Tyler as well as lesser known and obscure artists. The book will include America's Cup prints, many photographs, trophies, ship models, artifacts such as ship wheels, tillers, telescopes and ephemera.
Several of the books have been completed and designed and are ready for printing. Volume II which represents seven America's Cup Defenses between 1870 and 1887 has been printed and is waiting for the other volumes to catch up. The actual marketing plan and release date are in development and an announcement will be made when the necessary decisions have been established.
The following are some of the contributors of items for the book.
1. America's Cup Hall of Fame
2. Herreshoff Museum
3. Museum of Yachting
4. Newport Historical Society
5. New York Yacht Club
6. New York Historical Society
7. Museum City of New York
8. Mystic Seaport
9. Mariners' Museum
10. Edgartown Yacht Club
11. Eastern Yacht Club
12. Hart Maritime Museum, MIT
13. Maine Maritime Museum
14. Peabody Essex Museum
15. Marble House, Newport, R.I.
16. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
17. Victoria and Albert Museum, London
18. Scores of private collections, including the Collection of William I. Koch