A SILVER-GILT MOUNTED RUBY GLASS CUP AND COVER OF ROYAL INTEREST

The crowned monogram EAR is that of Ernest Augustus, 4th son of George III of England, who became King of Hanover in 1837. The iconography on this cup -- the English rose, Scottish thistle, Irish shamrock and the leaping horse of Hanover -- symbolize Ernest Augustus's dual royal titles, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover. When Victoria succeeded William IV as British monarch, under Salic law she could not inherit the Kingdom of Hanover, so the title descended to the Royal Duke instead. The very fine ruby glass appears to be Bohemian or Silesian, suggesting that the cup was made in Hanover as a gift to the new king in 1837.