Cutty Sark

The Cutty Sark rises above the ground on a glass cradle, its long, narrow hull and three tall, raking masts instantly recognizable against the skyline. Built in Dumbarton, Scotland, in eighteen sixty-nine, this extreme clipper was designed specifically for the high-stakes China tea trade. Victorians were eager to be the first to buy the season’s new tea, and the ship’s speed allowed it to race back to London ahead of its competitors to command the highest prices.