Untitled (USS Sturtevant), 2026

Untitled (USS Sturtevant), 2026, engraved silver presentation trophy vase, 11.5 in. tall. photo via an auctioneer who believes in leaving the patina of neglect on If I were ever in the navy, I would serve on the USS Sturtevant, just for the swag. Then after three years of command and successful torpedo destroyer training maneuvers off the coast of Virginia, maybe my fine crew would present me with an engraved silver trophy vase like the one they gave Lt Cmdr Freeland Allyn Daubin at the end of his command, a hundred years ago this summer. But alas, the USS Sturtevant is no more. While patrolling the waters off Key West in 1942, the Sturtevant hit a mine the US Navy had not disclosed to itself, exploded, and sank, killing fifteen. This trophy vase is being sold by the heirs of an antique store owner in Tampa, and the uncertainty about the weight of its weighted base vs the 10, 15, or 20 troy ounces of silver the auctioneer speculates it might yield when it is melted down. If I were to…