19THC IRISH SILVER PLATE & SILVER FARMING TROPHY CUP

This is a remarkable and very beautiful large 19^th century silver plated Irish agricultural trophy cup

with three solid silver medals inlaid into it.

The cup is of typical chalice form and has been profusely decorated with repoussé work (embossed)

and engraved motifs.

The three silver medals are set into slightly protruding mounts decorated with a lotus petal like border.

This border is itself surrounded by a border of crosses and these crosses flow all the away around the cup

connecting via loops. At the bottom of each medal, sandwiched between the lotus petals and crosses,

is a beautiful pattern of leaves and tendrils.

Between each medal is an oval pattern of a stylised acanthus leaf surrounded by the crosses

and with engraved barley sheaves on either side. A border of repoussé work shamrock leaves runs

around the top of the cup. Three large acanthus leaves grow up from the base of the cup which have been

decorated with wriggle-work engraving.

The short stem is surprisingly plain with just an elegant beaded border at the top and bottom. The foot however

is as lavishly decorated as the top part. It has a beaded border around the edge and inside this are other borders

of scroll-work, shamrock leaves and three stylised lotus flower patterns. Three stylised acanthus leaves grow

down from the stem to meet the foot.

THE MEDALS

The medals are decorated and marked as follows:

Medal 1 has lovely rural picture in relief of a very large cow (of typical 19^th century form), a pig and a sheep.

There is a tree to the left and a picture of an Irish village in the background with traditional Irish houses with

low thatched roofs. There are mountains in the background. Below the picture the medal is marked ‘I PARKES F’.

On the other side of the medal there is an inscription around the edge which reads

‘FORTESCUE ESTATE FARMING SOCIETY SPRING SHOW 1844’. In the centre of the medal is the following

inscription in cursive and gothic script: ‘To Mr James Arthur For the best of the Prize Fat Cattle’.

For more information about the Fortescue Estate in County Louth please see:

http://www.louthnewryarchives.ie/online-exhibitions/landowners-county-louth/clermont-fortescue.shtml

I believe the same James Arthur is probably referenced in the following document:

http://74.125.77.132/search?q=cache:mpov1BmSkzgJ:www.louthnewryarchives.ie/online-exhibitions/landowners-county-louth/documents/PP00069RodenCollectionDescriptiveListwebversion.doc+James+Arthur+fortescue+estate+Louth&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

where it appears he was granted a new lease (possibly on an inn) on 25th October 1851.

Medal 2 has exactly the same decoration on it as medal 1 but it has been mount in reverse. The picture side

is on the inside of the cup with medal 2 whereas the picture side on medal 1 is on the outside of the cup. 

The engraved inscription is also identical except that the year is 1845.

Medal 3 has a picture of a crowned Irish harp in relief on one side. The wooden parts of the harp are decorated

with tiny and beautiful Celtic motifs. There is an inscription around the edge which reads

‘ROYAL AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY OF IRELAND’ with ‘INSTITUTED A.D. 1841’ below the harp.

On the other side of the medal there is an inscription around the edge which reads

‘LOUTH FARMING SOCIETY 1860’. Inside this is a wreath of palm, olive and oak leaves. Inside the wreath is

the following inscription: ‘To John Arthur DUNDALK for BEST YEARLING HEIFER 1^st Class’. Below the wreath

the medal is marked ‘JONES DUB’.

‘I Parkes’ is the renowned Irish medal maker Isaac Parkes of Dublin who made many medals including ones

representing the Duke of Wellington, Benjamin Lee Guinness, Daniel O’Connell, The Order Of Liberators,

the Ouzel Galley Society, and the Dublin International Exhibition in 1865.

‘Jones Dub’ is John Jones of Dublin. John Jones made medals representing Daniel O’Connell,

the Irish Constabulary and Orange medals as well as many others.

The following link contains more information about Isaac Parkes and John Jones. It also contains descriptions

of medals very similar to the two Isaac Parkes medals in the cup and an exact match for the John Jones medal.

Please note that the Parkes medals were made by Isaac Parkes and not his son as they are inscribed

'I Parkes' not 'IC Parkes'. Please see:

http://www.irish-tokens.co.uk/frazer_all.htm#7

You can see another example of a Parkes medal here:

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/explore/object.cfm?ID=ZBA4585

The trophy is in excellent condition (please see the photos). The stem tilts over at a slight angle but there is

no evidence of any damage so I think it was made that way and it stands up well on the base. There is some

slight loss of the silver plating on the inside at the bottom of the cup but otherwise the plating is in remarkable

condition and intact. It is in such good condition that I suspect that it is either very thickly plated or possibly

plated using a non EPNS technique e.g. Sheffield Plate.

There are no dents, tears, repairs or any other type of damage.

SIZE

UNPACKED WEIGHT