ANTIQUE SILVER TROPHIES
Antique Silver trophies Description:
A type of vase, cup, bowl, and / or tazza given as a prize for a wide variety of sporting, agricultural, or even industrial competitions and events.
Antique Silver trophies History:
The concept of awarding a prize to the winner of an event has been in evidence for hundreds if not thousands of years. However silver trophies from before the 18th century are indeed very rare. Most were made after 1750 and the vast majority are from the Victorian and 20th century eras. This is logical when one considers that most sporting occasions, club events, and agricultural shows were started in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Antique Silver trophies Design:
There have been a huge range of styles and designs ranging from the traditional two-handled cup and cover to the bespoke cast models of specific animals. All the older Georgian, Victorian, and early 20th century trophies are all hand-made. Unfortunately, after the 1940s many trophies were mass-produced by the introduction of lathe spinning techniques. This enabled the manufacturers to reduce the gauge of silver used and therefore many of these are very light in weight and of low quality.
Antique Silver trophies Collectors Note:
All the old and antique trophies were engraved with presentation inscriptions. This is not a problem if the inscriptions are contemporaneous. However, if the trophy has been used for a presentation a number of times, the removal of inscriptions and re-engraving can cause thin spots and other problems. If the trophy has a cover then it must also have a corresponding hallmark to match the main one on the body. It is therefore considered wise to purchase an old trophy from an expert in old and antique silverware such as ourselves.