Collections record Beta

Piece of Atlantic Cable

1950-01-71

Piece of Atlantic Cable. Three round brass collars fitted over lengths of twisted iron strands, with interior concentric layers of copper and iron strands. One end comes to a point above brass collar. Label attached "This is a piece of the first or original Atlantic cable to England. There was a great celebration in N. York City in honor (of Cyrus Field, as promoter) and the laying of this cable. I purchased this of Tiffany & Co. at the time. J.W. Quincy"

Cyrus West Field (1819-1892) was a businessman and entrepreneur who helped organize and finance the laying of a transatlantic telegraph cable in 1858 as a founding member of the Atlantic Telegraph Company. The original cable failed after a short time, although Field was later involved in a successful second attempt in 1866. In 1853, Field had also financed the South American trip of Frederic Edwin Church of the Hudson River School. The LHS archival collection contains a copied certificate included with the purchase of the cable section; it certifies that Cyrus W. Field sold the remaining sections of the original cable to Tiffany & Co. in 1858, and that pieces purchased from Tiffany were therefore genuine.

late 19th century

2 1/2" long

• iron
• brass