A Victorian sterling silver figural equestrian trophy, 'Liverpool Autumn Cup' Charles Reily & George Storer, London, 1847

Realistically modeled in the form of three armoured medieval hunters, one with Douglas shield, felling a stag beneath an oak tree, each figure and element marked; raised on silver-mounted ebonized wood base, each silver plaque marked and one further engraved: "Won by/The/Palmer."

Provenance: The Collection of Victor Niederhoffer.

This spectacular trophy commemorates the victory of racehorse The Palmer at the Liverpool Autumn Cup in 1868. The Palmer (1864-1886) was a thoroughbred racehorse of note, a bay colt by Beadsman and Madame Elgantine by Cowl. Of the Darley Arabian Sire line, he enjoyed a successful racing career in England and Germany before retiring as an even more valuable sire. After middling success in his three-year-old year, The Palmer's greatest victory came at the Liverpool Autumn Cup in November 1868, besting Knight of the Garter and fifteen other horses. He was later valued as the tenth leading sire in Great Britain in 1880, and was purchased for £7,000 by Georg von Lehndorff (German, 1833-1914), head of the Prussian state studs at Graditz. He thus became the most expensive stud bought in Germany at that time, and was the leading sire in Germany in 1882 and 1883.

Realistically modeled in the form of three armoured medieval hunters, one with Douglas shield, felling a stag beneath an oak tree, each figure and element marked; raised on silver-mounted ebonized wood base, each silver plaque marked and one further engraved: "Won by/The/Palmer."

H: 22 in., W: 18 3/4 in., D: 16 3/4 in. (overall), Weighable silver: 220 oz. t. (approx.)

Provenance: The Collection of Victor Niederhoffer.