Celebrating the USS Sperry
This fine sterling silver punch bowl set, featuring a charming diving dolphin motif around the foot of its bowl, was presented to the USS Sperry, a navy submarine that launched in 1941. The submarine was named in honor of Elmer Ambrose Sperry, Sr. (1860–1930), the co-inventor of the gyroscope and gyrocompass, regarded as "the father of modern navigation technology." The gyroscope was created to lessen the effects of waves on the ship, thus reducing seasickness; this technology was later applied to a compass that was more reliable than the magnetic compasses being used at the time.
