Gifts of Grandeur: The Elkington Trophy, 1870-71

Silver Trophy
Elkington & Co.
1870-1871
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Elkington & Co. of Birmingham England was a silver manufacturer who is remembered for their sterling and plate pieces.  Elkington’s pattern books showed the range of objects, patterns and shapes which were available—each in carefully produced sketches.

The inscription on the trophy that we see above is noted on the original sketch which was made when the piece was commissioned. Elkingtons later reproduced this pattern in electroplate, beginning in 1881 when they were offering it for £7 under the category, 'CLARET JUGS', and describing it as “Plated, Celtic, richly engraved.”

Known as a “pilgrim flask,” this  trophy was commissioned as the grand prize of a dog show between 1870 and 1871.