On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Morgan Cup
When the sloop Volunteer won the inaugural Morgan Cup race from Vineyard Haven to Marblehead on August 8, 1887, it was awarded this lavish silver and ivory tankard valued at $500. Sailing trophies were among the grandest and best-publicized form of "presentation silver" produced in the late 1800s, and Tiffany secured many of these coveted commissions. This cup combines decorative elements derived from East Asia and the Islamic world. Its sculptural dragon-shaped handle could refer to Chinese or Japanese sources, and numerous objects in Moore’s collection feature dragons that may have served as inspiration. Often associated with water and the sea, the dragon was a fitting adornment for a sailing prize. Tiffany reused this handle design on a number of its grand pieces of silver.
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