Live Auction 7850Centuries of Style: Silver, European Ceramics, Portrait Miniatures and Gold Boxes
THE DONCASTER RACES CUP, 1805 A GEORGE III SILVER-GILT CUP AND COVER
Lot 352

THE DONCASTER RACES CUP, 1805 A GEORGE III SILVER-GILT CUP AND COVER

MARK OF DIGBY SCOTT AND BENJAMIN SMITH, LONDON, 1805

Closed10 June 2010

Price Realised

GBP 7,500

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THE DONCASTER RACES CUP, 1805
A GEORGE III SILVER-GILT CUP AND COVER
MARK OF DIGBY SCOTT AND BENJAMIN SMITH, LONDON, 1805
Ovoid and on spreading foot with bead and foliage base and a further band of stiff leaves, the body cast and applied with fruiting grapevine swags, with two scroll handles with grotesque mask terminals, the detachable cover with fruiting finial, engraved with an inscription, marked under foot, inside cover and on finial, the foot further engraved 'RUNDELL BRIDGE ET RUNDELL AURIFICES REGIS ET PRINCIPIS WALLIæ, LONDINI FECERUNT'
15¾ in. (40 cm.) high
121 oz. (3,763 gr.)
The inscription reads 'Doncaster Races 1805 Stewards The Earl of Strathmore H. F. Mellish Esqr'

Given by the 1805 Doncaster Cup Stewards John, 10th Earl of Strathmore (1769-1820) and Henry Francis Mellish of Blyth (d.1817)
Won by William, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam's horse Caleb Quotem at Doncaster Races 1805 and then by descent to
William, 8th Earl Fitzwilliam (1910-1948) and then by descent to his daughter
Lady Juliet de Chair and Mr. Somerset de Chair and the Trustees of the Fitzwilliam Settlement; St. Osyth's Priory, Essex, Christie's House Sale, 4 and 5 June 1984, lot 585.

Specialist note

The Doncaster Cup, which is run over four miles, dates back to 1766 and is the oldest of all the cup races run continuously since foundation as the Ascot Gold Cup only commenced in 1807. Until 1831 the cup, valued at 100 guineas, was the only prize being paid for by the Stewards.