Sports collectors always are looking for unique pieces from their favorite teams or players. Most head to Heritage sports auctions, but there is another area that is fertile hunting ground for unique trophies. This list looks at the upcoming Silver and Objects of Vertu Auction, which has a couple of great-looking pieces, and the Gentleman Collector Auction, which sold a number of uniquely named trophies in February.
1. Tiffany & Co. makes the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the winner of the Super Bowl, and the most amazing sports trophy, in my opinion – the NHL’s Stanley Cup – is actually a rose bowl made in Sheffield, England and sold by London silversmith G.R. Collis and Company. Friedell’s most popular items were trophies and he made trophies for the Tournament of Roses as well as the Pasadena Polo Club and others. This trophy jumped out to me from the Silver and Vertu Auction was the Clemens Friedell Partial Gilt Silver Los Angeles Kennel Club 1917 President’s Trophy.
Clemens Friedell Partial Gilt Silver
Los Angeles Kennel Club 1917 President’s Trophy.
Estimate: $6,000-8,000
2. Many trophies were designed to be used, as well as displayed, like the John Samuel Hunt Neoclassical Victorian Silver Two-Handled Vase, which depicts a seated Neptune pulled by horses and is accompanied by woman and a child or cherub. This piece likely was manufactured as a naval/nautical presentation trophy.
John Samuel Hunt Neoclassical Victorian Silver Two-Handled Vase
Estimate: $3,000-5,000
3. Another vase that was used as a presentation pieces is the Alvin Mfg. Co. Silver Two-Handled Presentation Vase. The piece is well over 100 years old and the front of the trophy-form vase bearing presentation inscription PRESENTED as a token of esteem, JOHN BROOKS, THE RETIRING SUPERINTENDENT, by the Employees of the, POTTER PRINTING PRESS WORKS, Plainfield, New Jersey, DECEMBER 31ST 1897.
Alvin Mfg. Co. Silver Two-Handled Presentation Vase
Estimate: $1,000-1,500
4. Two additional trophies should jump out to any sports collector based on the names associated with the trophies. The Rodman Wanamaker Trophy One-Mile Run Invitation, circa 1936-1940 trophy, which was presented to the winner of The Wanamaker Mile. This race was the gold standard for the fastest indoor mile. Rodman Wanamaker was a department store mogul who formed the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) and for whom the PGA Championship trophy is named.
The Rodman Wanamaker Trophy One-Mile Run Invitation
Circa 1936-1940
Sold for $2,125
5. Finally, from the recently closed Gentleman Collector Auction, a Harvard Spee Club Silver Loving Cup Trophy by Shreve, Crump & Low Co. The cup with chased Spee Club bear logo and inscribed PRESENTED TO, H.H. Edgell’09, BY, THE MEMBERS OF, THE SPEE CLUB, JUNE 13, 1914. The Spee Club was founded in 1852 as a chapter of the Zeta Psi fraternity. Notable alumni include John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Douglas Kenney, who was a co-founder of the National Lampoon and a co-writer of the fraternity-centered film comedy National Lampoon’s Animal House.
Harvard Spee Club Silver Loving Cup Trophy by Shreve, Crump & Low Co
Sold for $937.50
Leave a Comment