The Huntingdon Cup of 1869.
The Huntingdon Cup of 1869.
A large Victorian equestrian silver racing trophy, Hunt & Roskell, London, 1869, after a design and model by George Armson Carter
Modelled as King John in armour and on horseback, preparing to defend his lands in France, on a naturalistic bronze base inscribed 'Johannes Rex AD 1206', on an ebonised wooden plinth applied on one side silver-plated lettering: 'Huntingdon 1869' and on the reverse 'Won by Fortunio'
75cm high
224oz (6971 grams) weighable silver.
'WEDNESDAY, JULY 21 [1869].
'THE prestige so honourably and
...
A large Victorian equestrian silver racing trophy, Hunt & Roskell, London, 1869, after a design and model by George Armson Carter
Modelled as King John in armour and on horseback, preparing to defend his lands in France, on a naturalistic bronze base inscribed 'Johannes Rex AD 1206', on an ebonised wooden plinth applied on one side silver-plated lettering: 'Huntingdon 1869' and on the reverse 'Won by Fortunio'
75cm high
224oz (6971 grams) weighable silver.
'WEDNESDAY, JULY 21 [1869].
'THE prestige so honourably and
deservedly gained for this meeting by the liberality and energetic management of the committee was fully sustained to-day, indeed, the gathering was, if anything, more brilliant than on Tuesday. The aristocracy assembled in as great force as we usually associate with Newmarket; and what with a very large professional attendance, and an immense general company, the Huntingdon Meeting of 1869 will fairly rank with any of its predecessors. The weather was again brilliantly fine . . . The Huntingdon Cup resulted in a match between [Captain Gray's] Fortunio [ridden by Tom Challoner (1839-1886)] and Pompeii, odds of 2 5o 1 and 7 to 4 being freely laid on the former when the bettering opened. Judging by the running for the Stakes yesterday, the young one could have no chance, although he was meeting Fortunio on 5lb better terms. Bookmakers, however, fielded with most remarkable sprit, freely accepting 5 to 4 at the close. The result was never in doubt, and, after making all the running, Fortunio won in a common canter by two lengths. Pompeii, who had been purchased by Mr Chaplin from Lord Westmorland, ran in the "rose" jacket.'1
'THE HUNTINGDON CUP. - The Huntingdon Cup of the present year is the production of the well-known firm of Hunt and Roskell, manufactured by them from the designs of Mr G.A. Carter. It consists of an equestrian statuette in silver of King John, who, in 1206, granted a charter constituting Huntingdon a corporate town, the portrait and dress of the king being taken from the coins of the period. On the base of the statuette are represented the arms of King John and Huntingdon. The work as a whole is creditable to all concerned in its production.'2
The artist, modeller and sculptor George Armson Carter (1840 - 8 June 1918) began working for Hunt & Roskell in the late 1860s, one of his earliest efforts for them being the design and models for the Ascot Hunt Cup of 1867; 'This trophy consists of a tazza in silver, elaborately chased in repousse, partially gilt. The stand is decorated with stags; heads, hunting emblems, &c., and the cover is surmounted by a group of mare and foal.'3
Of the many projects undertaken by Carter for Hunt & Roskell perhaps the most important were the models for the large group centred by King John signing the Magna Carta, which was presented in 1880 to the engineer Joseph D'Aguilar Samuda (1813-1885) and the 49-piece service of parcel-gilt silver known as the Ismay Testimonial, which was given in 1885 to Thomas Henry Ismay (1837-1899) by the shareholders of the White Star Line.4
Carter's connection with Hunt & Roskell appears to have ceased in the late 1880s, among his last works for them being designs and models for a set of four candlesticks, 1885-1889, representing Night, Dawn, Knowledge and Genius.5
Notes
1. The Sportsman, London, Thursday, 22 July 1869, p. 2f
2. The Sportsman, London, Thursday, 22 July 1869, p. 2e
3. The Illustrated London News, London, Saturday, 15 June 1867, p. 610; The Manchester Courier, Manchester, Monday, 18 June 1867, p. 4f
4. The Morning Post, London, Wednesday, 18 August 1886, p. 3b; Christie's, London, 4 November 1982; Michael Clayton, Christie's Pictorial History of English and American Silver, Oxford, 1985, p. 287, fig. 5; National Museums Liverpool, accession no. 1983.991.1
11468
Dimensions
 weighable silver.'WEDNESDAY, JULY 21 [1869].'THE prestige so honourably and deservedly gained for this meeting by the liberality and energetic management of the committee was fully sustained to-day, indeed, the gathering was, if anything, more brilliant than on Tuesday. The aristocracy assembled in as great force as we usually associate with Newmarket; and what with a very large professional attendance, and an immense general company, the Huntingdon Meeting of 1869 will fairly rank with any of its predecessors. The weather was again brilliantly fine . . . The Huntingdon Cup resulted in a match between [Captain Gray's] Fortunio [ridden by Tom Challoner (1839-1886)] and Pompeii, odds of 2 5o 1 and 7 to 4 being freely laid on the former when the bettering opened. Judging by the running for the Stakes yesterday, the young one could have no chance, although he was meeting Fortunio on 5lb better terms. Bookmakers, however, fielded with most remarkable sprit, freely accepting 5 to 4 at the close. The result was never in doubt, and, after making all the running, Fortunio won in a common canter by two lengths. Pompeii, who had been purchased by Mr Chaplin from Lord Westmorland, ran in the "rose" jacket.'1'THE HUNTINGDON CUP. - The Huntingdon Cup of the present year is the production of the well-known firm of Hunt and Roskell, manufactured by them from the designs of Mr G.A. Carter. It consists of an equestrian statuette in silver of King John, who, in 1206, granted a charter constituting Huntingdon a corporate town, the portrait and dress of the king being taken from the coins of the period. On the base of the statuette are represented the arms of King John and Huntingdon. The work as a whole is creditable to all concerned in its production.'2The artist, modeller and sculptor George Armson Carter (1840 - 8 June 1918) began working for Hunt & Roskell in the late 1860s, one of his earliest efforts for them being the design and models for the Ascot Hunt Cup of 1867; 'This trophy consists of a tazza in silver, elaborately chased in repousse, partially gilt. The stand is decorated with stags; heads, hunting emblems, &c., and the cover is surmounted by a group of mare and foal.'3Of the many projects undertaken by Carter for Hunt & Roskell perhaps the most important were the models for the large group centred by King John signing the Magna Carta, which was presented in 1880 to the engineer Joseph D'Aguilar Samuda (1813-1885) and the 49-piece service of parcel-gilt silver known as the Ismay Testimonial, which was given in 1885 to Thomas Henry Ismay (1837-1899) by the shareholders of the White Star Line.4Carter's connection with Hunt & Roskell appears to have ceased in the late 1880s, among his last works for them being designs and models for a set of four candlesticks, 1885-1889, representing Night, Dawn, Knowledge and Genius.5Notes1. The Sportsman, London, Thursday, 22 July 1869, p. 2f2. The Sportsman, London, Thursday, 22 July 1869, p. 2e3. The Illustrated London News, London, Saturday, 15 June 1867, p. 610; The Manchester Courier, Manchester, Monday, 18 June 1867, p. 4f4. The Morning Post, London, Wednesday, 18 August 1886, p. 3b; Christie's, London, 4 November 1982; Michael Clayton, Christie's Pictorial History of English and American Silver, Oxford, 1985, p. 287, fig. 5; National Museums Liverpool, accession no. 1983.991.1){kind=link}