Lot 183
[Fields, Cyrus]. Souvenir section of the first trans-Atlantic telegraph cable from 1858, 4 x ¾ in. Banded in brass at both ends, where the core structure can be seen. Accompanied by a facsimile document signed by Field and datelined New York, Aug. 21st 1858. It states, "This is to certify that I have sold the balance of the Atlantic Telegraph Cable now on board of the U.S.S.F. 'Niagara' to Messrs. Tiffany & Co. Jewellers No. 550 Broadway of this city, and that the piece which accompanies this, is a genuine section thereof."
Cyrus Field was the driving force behind the first trans-Atlantic telegraph cable, which was laid by the U.S.S.F. Niagara and completed on August 5, 1858. The cable broke three weeks later and lasting connections were not finalized until 1866. Tiffany & Co. bought a quantity of unused cable from Field and cut it into sections to be sold as souvenirs.
Estimated Value $1,500 - 2,000.
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