[1] The official event known as "The America's Cup" was founded in 1857, when the deed of gift established the racing regattas.

The ewer was a stock item obtained by the (original) Marquess of Anglesey from jeweler and silversmith Robert Garrard in 1848.

[6][7] He made the donation to the Royal Yacht Squadron in the hope they would use it for a special event to help the club revive from a sudden drop in attendance, afloat and ashore - the result of a short period of mismanagement under a Commodore who had assumed the role after Angelesey turned it down, at the age of 78.

[6] The winning owners of the America considered melting the Cup down to make individual medals for each of them, but decided against it.

Those yachts that raced were America, Alarm, Arrow, Aurora, Bacchante, Beatrice, Brilliant, Constance, Eclipse, Freak, Gipsy Queen, Ione, Mona, Volante, and Wyvern.