The Ascot Races Prize Plate: The Royal Hunt Cup

The Ascot Races Prize Plate: the Royal Hunt Cup, the Ascot Cup, the Queen's Gold Cup, 1869. 'Three of the handsome pieces of plate made for this year's prizes at the Ascot Races...The Ascot Cup is not a cup properly speaking, but a table ornament, or "surtout de table," consisting of a silver stand, bearing a large tazza for flowers, in the centre, and at each end a smaller one for fruit. In front of the central stem is an equestrian group, representing the champion knight on horseback, with his squire or page blowing a note of challenge on the horn. The whole is richly ornamented, in the Renaissance style. This is designed and manufactured by Messrs. R. and S. Garrard, of the Haymarket, who have likewise provided the Queen's Gold Cup, given by her Majesty. Its design is that of an oviform vase, with chains held by lions. The obverse side exhibits a bas-relief sculpture of a Roman chariot-race: the Royal arms are engraved on the reverse side: the general style is Italian. The Royal Hunt Cup, which is manufactured by Messrs. Hunt and Roskell, is a tazza of silver, embossed with the rose, shamrock, and thistle, on a triangular grotesque base. The stem is richly chased, and the cover is surmounted by an elfin statuette of Victory'. From "Illustrated London News", 1869. Creator: Unknown. (Photo by The Print Collector/Heritage Images via Getty Images)