A Toast to Sport
A Toast to Sport
The Manchester Cup, 1904. A spectacular Art Nouveau silver racing trophy, Elkington & Co. Ltd., Birmingham, 1899
Lot Closed
December 19, 02:06 PM GMT
Estimate
30,000 - 40,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
The Manchester Cup, 1904. A spectacular Art Nouveau silver racing trophy, Elkington & Co. Ltd., Birmingham, 1899
On four cast asymmetrical naturalistic feet, the four lobes of the base engraved with presentation inscriptions for the winners of the 1904 Manchester Cup below two plaques enamelled with the arms of Manchester, the ovoid body with laurel sprigs rising from the base and a racing scene in the centre, the two handles modelled as nymphs, topped by the figure of Nike holding a laurel wreath aloft,
77.5cm., 30 ½in. high
9560gr., 310oz.
An article in the 4 June 1904 edition of The Illustrated London News (p. 858) illustrates and describes the cup:
'THE MANCHESTER CUP, 1904.
The design of the silver trophy for the Manchester Cup is of a striking character. The artist has adopted an unusual form, but the effect is harmonious. The most prominent feature of the trophy is the group which surmounts the cover. It is symbolic of the event for which the cup is the prize, the idea being to represent in allegorical shape the exciting nature of the 'Sport of Kings'. The winged horse typifies the speed of the racehorse, and the rider is endeavouring to pluck the laurel from the hand of Victory. On the body of the cup an actual race is represented in relief. The whole effect is enhanced by the Arms of the City of Manchester in enamel, the one bit of colouring on the piece. The design, quite unlike all previous Manchester Cups, marks an epoch in the history of this famous race. Messrs. Elkington and Co., Limited, of Manchester, were entrusted with the work.'
The race was held on 27th May 1904, and the weather was described in a race report the following day as 'dismal in the extreme'. The prize was a 200 sovereign piece of plate (the current lot) and 100 sovereigns in specie, and was split between Roe O'Neill and Scullion in a dead heat.
‘What a splendid collection of valuable plate the successful owner of racehorses must acquire! We happened recently to see the Manchester Cup, which was designed and produced by Elkington and Co., for the race last week. It is a beautiful specimen of the firm’s work, the design being most artistic, and ordinary morals would be inclined to envy the winner. Horse-racing, however, is such a costly sport that owners doubtless attach more importance to the prize “in specie” than to the trophy, no matter how handsome.’ (Truth, London, Thursday, 2 June 1904, p. 1417b)