The 31-metre classic sailing yacht Weather Bird has been listed for auction with Boathouse Auctions. Bidding opens at €1,000,000 and will be held virtually from 20 - 25 February, with the seller represented by Richard Callender at Northrop & Johnson.
Weather Bird is one of the most storied sailing yachts on the water. She was built by French yard Chantelot & Lemaistre to a design by Henri Rambaud and her captain Vladimir Orloff, a Russian aristocrat who fled to France after the murder of his father by the Bolsheviks.
Read More/Weatherbird: The story behind the classic sailing yacht that inspired Jazz Age artistsWeather Bird was commissioned by American expatriates Sarah and Gerald Murphy, to whom you can find a dedication on the first page of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, Tender is the Night. Fitzgerald was a frequent guest on board the Murphys' yacht, alongside other famed creatives Ernest Hemingway, Coco Chanel and Louis Armstrong. The sailing yacht was actually named after Armstrong, with a copy of his Weatherbird rag record symbolically melded into the keel mid-build.
Weather Bird caught the tail end of the Roaring 20s, entertaining the glamorous icons and intellectuals that best captured the zeitgeist of the era – but it was an era destined to fade. In 1933, as Mussolini rose to power and the health of their son Patrick declined, the Murphys abandoned Weather Bird and left for America, never to return.
Nearly a century later, Weather Bird has experienced several new owners, cruising grounds and other adventures, with regular maintenance works keeping the classic schooner in optimal condition. Her 2022 refit was particularly extensive. Works lasted 17 months and resulted in all-new mechanical systems, the automation of her rigging systems and winches and a refresh of the interiors, while still retaining her vintage style.
The best example of her romantic, Art Deco interior is the main saloon, featuring a U-shaped seating area with a table, a bar area and storage. Several stylish seating areas can also be found outdoors, including the foredeck and its collection of velveteen sunbeds.
As the broker points out, Weather Bird's charm is in her incredible history: "With a yacht that was built in 1931, you can’t help but stand at the wheel or sit around the table and conjure up all these thoughts in your mind about who’s sat there, who’s helmed the boat, what conversations have gone on," added Callender. "If the walls could talk, it would be incredible."
The sailing yacht is awaiting auction in Athens, Greece.