Antiques Roadshow

GUEST: It is the Ascot trophy, which was a gift of Her Majesty, which I'm assuming was Queen Victoria, from 1857.

It's been in my family for four generations.

APPRAISER: Okay.

GUEST: How we got it, I don't really know, because nobody's living anymore.

APPRAISER: And do you know who made the trophy?

GUEST: Yes, it's, uh, from Garrard's.

APPRAISER: Garrard was the most important London silversmith, bar none.

From 1843 to 2007...

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: ...they were the jewelers to The Crown.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

This trophy is known as the Queen's Cup.

It was given by Queen Victoria to the winner GUEST: ...Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: ...of the 1857 race at Ascot...

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: ...for three-year-olds.

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: We have the royal coat of arms here, ascot down here.

And it's just a magnificent piece of silver.

By the way, it's hallmarked by Garrard here...

GUEST: Mm-hmm APPRAISER: ....and on the hinges of the handle.

And then, of course, it's marked on the bottom.

This was designed by one of their great designers, Edmund Cotterill.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: I don't know how many pounds of sterling silver this is, but...

GUEST: 22.

APPRAISER: 22 pounds of sterling silver?

GUEST: (chuckling): Yes.

APPRAISER: A lot of this is hand-chased.

It's a masterpiece of the silversmith's art.

I know we're in Arkansas, and you're enamored of saying...

GUEST: (chuckling) APPRAISER: ...that's a Arkansas razorback, but really, we have two hounds attacking a European boar.

This particular trophy was illustrated in the June 13, 1857 edition of the London Illustrated Times.

I did find a woodcut engraving...

GUEST: Wow!

APPRAISER: Of two women gazing at this trophy, along with the Gold Cup that was awarded at Ascot, too.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: So it's a well-known piece.

GUEST: Wow.

APPRAISER: In the '90s...

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: ...this trophy was on exhibit, correct?

GUEST: Yes, uh-huh.

APPRAISER: At...?

GUEST: The Carnegie Museum.

APPRAISER: In Pittsburgh.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

My father didn't want to keep this at the house anymore, so he loaned it to the Carnegie Museum for safekeeping.

APPRAISER: If I told you that in 2021, Sotheby's in London offered a Queen's Cup for sale...

GUEST: Mm-hmm APPRAISER: ....and it was estimated at �20,000 to �30,000...

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: ...what would you say?

GUEST: I would say this is much more than that.

APPRAISER: (laughs) Good for you!

Good for you!

In fact, I-- GUEST: I'm not impressed.

APPRAISER: In fact, in fact, I agree with you.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: The one that was brought up for auction in 2021...

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: ...failed to sell.

It had two prancing horses on it.

GUEST: Uh-huh.

APPRAISER: Not this amazing hunt scene.

GUEST: Oh.

Uh-huh.

Uh-huh.

APPRAISER: Every year, the trophy was different.

An auction estimate for this...

GUEST: Mm-hmm APPRAISER: ....would be $40,000 to $60,000.

Does that surprise you?

GUEST: Yes, it does.

APPRAISER: Low or high?

GUEST: Low.

But then when you're an owner of something, it's priceless.

APPRAISER: I would probably insure it for at least $75,000.

GUEST: Mm-hmm, okay.