The Sport of Collecting Vintage and Antique Silver Trophies

Jun 6, 2010
Lorraine Syratt

Two Vintage Golf Loving Cup Trophies - nessguide

Vintage and antique silver trophies offer instant history when used in home decor, but they also make an interesting and valuable collection for investors.

Vintage and antique silver trophies are prized for their ornate beauty as well as their associations with historical names and history in the sports world. But trophy collections aren't just for those with interests in sports memorabilia. They also have a decorative appeal adding a little history beside the clock on the mantle.

Beginning a Trophy Collection

There are many niche areas in collectible trophies. Some collectors with a penchant for anything 50s retro search flea markets for vintage wood and chrome bowling trophies, while others scout upmarket antique shops for authentic Victorian horse-racing or rowing silver trophies.

Most collections of anything simply evolve from that first find – an item the collector has fallen in love with and must have more of. Before she knows it, a themed collection fills bookcases and glassed cabinets.

Prized Antique Silver Trophies

In the 19th century, American silversmiths considered the production of trophies a major part of their businesses. One of the most elite trophies included the Belmont Cup made by Tiffany and Company in 1869. Today, antique racing and hunting trophies are greatly prized by collectors, especially those with fine detail. The best will be very ornate with well-illustrated scenes of deer, Indians, horses and ornamental work.

Trophies represented not only the sport, but an opportunity for the silversmith to promote his skills. The trophies came in all sorts of forms, from lidded urn shapes, to two-handled and three-handled loving cups to large bowls and platters. The loving cup shapes are the easiest to find today.

Where to Find Old Trophies

Passionate collectors easily zero in on old silver trophies for sale in flea markets, antique shops, antique shows, thrift shops, yard sales and church bazaars. Online venues like eBay always have several pages of vintage and antique silver trophies listed in auction format. There are also online specialty antique shops that may offer what the trophy collector is looking for. And it's a good idea to keep an eye on future listings with major auction houses for trophies in upcoming auctions.

Antique Trophy Price Guide

Old silver trophies awarded at well-known and long-held annual events most often have the highest value, fetching several 1000s of dollars. A less expensive silver trophy collection might include lesser-known events or regional and school events, dating from the early 1900s up to the 1940s. During this period, the pieces were still nicely crafted into into the traditional loving cups and urn shapes and many pieces can be found for under $100.

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