Lowestoft Hospital Football Challenge Cup, Presented by John...

Hammer

£8,900

Lowestoft Hospital Football Challenge Cup, Presented by John W Butterfield, 1898. This large silver twin handled football trophy, has a lid surmounted by Victory standing holding two laurel wreaths, the baluster shaped body with scrolled acanthus leaf detail, cartouche engraved " Lowestoft Hospital Football Challenge Cup, 1898, Presented by John W Butterfield", beneath a circular enamelled crested boss bearing the motto "Soffoche Villa Lowestoft," the reverse cartouche decorated with nine football players on a pitch, flanked by two elaborately pierced and beaded handles with cast laurel swags and scrolled acanthus leaves, the whole on a beaded knopped inverted baluster stem and stepped thumb-moulded circular foot engraved "Fattorini & Sons, Bradford." Birmingham 1898. Maker's mark "FS". Together with an ebonised socle bearing a selection of silver shield-shaped and circular winners names and dates. Obverse panel dented.

The Cup is 71cm tall, 83.5cm tall on the socle, the weight without socle is, 5910g

NB John W Butterfield was born in 1866, as recorded in the 1901 census of Lowestoft, Mutford, Suffolk, England. It is thought the John W Butterfield was a notable fish merchant in the town of Lowestoft, and in Floods' Lowestoft Telephone List pre-1914 is recorded at addresses in Herringmarket and Whapload Road Lowestoft. Whilst not proven, this is the likely benefactor of the Butterfield Cup.