Lot #116

[John F. Kennedy] Original Life Preserver from the Kennedy Family Yacht ‘Marlin,’ Presented by JFK’s Siblings to Cousin Ann Gargan

Description

Original life preserver from the Kennedy family yacht ‘Marlin,’ presented by JFK’s siblings to their cousin

Original life preserver ring from the Kennedy family's commuter yacht Marlin, known as President John F. Kennedy's favorite private yacht. The white ring measures 16˝ in diameter and is hand-lettered in black-and-red: "Marlin, Hyannisport." It is displayed within a glass-topped end table display case, 22˝ x 24˝ x 22˝, with an engraved plaque at center, by which four of John F. Kennedy's siblings present the ring to their cousin Ann Gargan and her husband: "To Ann and Tom, who shared happy times on the Marlin with all of us. Ted, Eunice, Pat, Jean." An evocative maritime relic from one of the most recognizable vessels associated with the Kennedy family and their celebrated summers at Hyannis Port.

Includes three significant Kennedy family autographs related to the Marlin: a circa mid-1960s original sketch by the young Caroline Kennedy, addressed to her grandfather, Joseph P. Kennedy, accomplished in crayon and ballpoint on a 12 x 9 sheet, showing her aboard JFK's beloved sailboat Victura, with the "Marlin" anchored in the foreground, signed and inscribed in blue ballpoint, "Thank you Grampa for the book of Dickens Tales, Love, Caroline"; an ALS by Ted Kennedy, signed "Ted," on a color 5.5 x 3.5 postcard of a Vietnamese sampan, to his parents, "Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Kennedy," in full: "Dear Dad—Had a good trip here. This boat will never replace the Marlin"; and a color glossy 9.5 x 7.5 photo of a painting of a seaside coastline dotted with sailboats, signed and inscribed in black felt tip, "To Ann, Merry Christmas—Love, Ted, 1966," matted and framed to an overall size of 12.75 x 11. In overall very good to fine condition, with some wear and cracking to paint on the life preserver.

The 52-foot Marlin had a distinguished history even before entering the Kennedy orbit. Commissioned by Edsel Ford in 1929, she was designed by naval architect Walter McInnis and built by the renowned Fred D. Lawley yard of Quincy, Massachusetts, with delivery in 1930. After passing through several owners and serving on coastal patrol duty during World War II, Marlin was acquired by Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. in 1952 and brought to the family's compound at Hyannis Port. The sleek motor yacht became a fixture of Kennedy family life, carrying members of the extended family on cruises, swimming excursions, and fishing trips around Nantucket Sound.

For John F. Kennedy, Marlin offered both recreation and a measure of privacy amid the pressures of politics. Contemporary accounts record Kennedy cruising aboard the yacht immediately after securing the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination, and White House daily diaries document repeated outings aboard Marlin during his presidency. She also occasionally served as an informal setting for presidential business: a July 1961 photograph shows Kennedy aboard Marlin conferring with Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, and General Maxwell Taylor on the Berlin crisis.

Perhaps most memorably, Marlin embodied the relaxed public image of the Kennedy years at Cape Cod—family members gathering on deck, children playing along the shore, and the president swimming or cruising the waters surrounding Hyannis Port. An unusually substantial artifact from the Kennedy family's private maritime life, this original Marlin life preserver offers a direct physical connection to a yacht closely identified with JFK's presidency and the Kennedy era at Hyannis Port.

From the estate of Ann Gargan King.

Auction Info

• Auction Title: Fine Autographs and Artifacts Featuring John F. Kennedy
• Dates:
  Starts:

  10/15/2026
  Ends:

  11/11/2026