The Glass Casket
This prototype eight was designed by Luigi Colani for Karl Adam, coach of the Federal Republic of Germany's Olympic eight, in 1972. A one-piece titanium frame incorporating outriggers is covered by an opaque composite skin (expoxy, glass and carbon fibre), resulting in a very strong boat weighing only 65-70 kilograms, about 40 kilos less than the lightest eights then available.
Unconventional in every way, the boat proved very fast in a test, but was disabled by a fault in the seats which run on ballbearings on three tracks. It was never used, earning the nickname Glass Casket.
A navy blue t-shirt; 'Henley '81'; 'Welcome to the Ladies'
A navy blue cotton t-shirt, size L, with a light blue printed design of "Henley '81" and "Welcome to the Ladies", around a cartoon showing a ladies pair.
An envelope from E Ayling & Sons in Putney, addressed to the Secretary at Berliner Ruder Club "Hellas" in Germany, dated March 5 1908.
Cream coloured envelope with blue printed address and telephone number, three postage stamps in the top right corner (two red, one green) black ink stamp over the top with the date. Purple Aylings stamp reading "Ayling's Oars and Sculls, hold every record at Henley Royal Regatta Diamond Sculls 13 seconds!".
Thomi
A single scull "Thomi" by Stämpfli of Zurich with aluminium outriggers which belonged to Thomi Keller, a Swiss international from Grasshopper Club, Zurich. Keller was president of the International Rowing Federation (FISA) and the Association of Summer Olympic Sports (GAISF).
Carbon Cub
Carbon fibre double scull designed by John Vigurs and built by British Aerospace, Weybridge, in 1976. The boat was for Chris Baillieu and Mike Hart, silver medallists in double sculls at the Montreal Olympic games in 1976.
GB coxless four, Sydney Olympic Games 2000
Coxless four designed and built by Aylings which won the Olympic regatta at Penrith Lakes, Sydney 2000. Boat in which Sir Steve Redgrave won his fifth Olympic gold medal, Sir Matthew Pinsent his third, and Tim Foster and James Cracknell their first.
The Victoria, 1854.
Matthew Taylor of Newcastle-on-Tyne built this boat for Royal Chester Rowing Club in 1854. It is the earliest surviving example of carvel smooth-bottomed construction, created by bringing the keel inboard. Royal Chester used it to win both the Stewards' and the Wyfold challenge cups at Henley in that year. In the following year the club ordered an eight from Taylor in which they won the Grand and the Ladies' Plate. There is some evidence that another Tyne professional, Harry Clasper, built a keeless boat in 1842. Between them the Geordie boatbuilders opened the way to shell construction.
Stakhanovite
A prototype four designed for speed by German boatbuilder Willi Karlisch and used by Wallingford Schools Boat Club. In 1973 and 1974 it won J4+ at the ARA British championships and came third in the world junior championships.