White Heather (II) was designed and built by the great William Fife in 1907, and enjoyed a remarkably successful career winning twenty-four prizes - twenty-three of them for first place - in her very first season.
Nyria, built in 1906, was also a successful boat, but she earned her place in yachting history by becoming the first big cutter to adopt the Bermudian rig in 1921. Initially at least, her exceptionally tall mast, kept aloft by wires stretched across spreaders and struts, was so reminiscent of a radio aerial that it was christened the "Marconi" rig. However, its merits quickly became apparent and Nyria, having taken the pioneering step, soon saw every other large racing cutter similarly rigged.
Although these two yachts raced against each other on many occasions, this painting may depict their famous duel in the 1920 season when they held the lead for the greater part of one of the most prestigious races even though both were ultimately overhauled and beaten.