The Duke of Leeds' Doncaster Cup stand - A George IV sterling silver gilt plinth, London 1824 by John Bridge of Rundell, Bridge and Rundell (reg. 25^th Nov 1823)

Of square form with encurved corners, inhabited by cast and screw fixed classical dolphins raised upon scallop shell feet. The panelled sides with matted background, applied to either side with a cast and engraved quartered coat of arms with ducal coronet above and motto below 'Pax in Bello'. Engraved to the bevel above with a crest of a dolphin naiant. Engraved to one side 'RUNDELL BRIDGE ET RUNDELL AURIFICES REGIS LONDON'. Engraved to underside with a Baron's coronet and F&C and a numeral 5 within a square. Fully marked to the top, apllied castings with part-marks. Also with an old sticker to the underside reading ‘Rt Honble Lord Conyers.

Height – 13.5 cm / 5.45 inches

Length -24.5 cm / 9.5 inches

Weight - 2488 grams / 79.99 ozt

The crest is for Godolphin

The arms are for Osborne quartering Godolphin

For George William Frederick Osborne, 6th Duke of Leeds, KG, PC (1775 – 1838) styled Earl of Danby until 1789 and Marquess of Carmarthen from 1789 to 1799. The later initials and coronet are for are for Marcia Amelia Mary, Baroness Fauconberg and Conyers, Countess of Yarborough (1863-1926)

Provenacne:

George William Frederick Osborne, 6th Duke of Leeds (1775-1838) and thence by descent to his son

Francis Godolphin, 7th Duke of Leeds (1798-1859) and thence by descent to his nephew

Sackville George Lane Fox, 12th Baron Conyers (1859-1888) and thence by descent to his eldest daughter

Marcia Amelia Mary, Baroness Fauconberg and Conyers, Countess of Yarborough (1863-1926).

Thereafter Unknown - Private collection

[A sauce boat by Peter Archambo engraved similarly with the same provenance gives the following: by descent to Marcia Amelia, Baroness Fauconberg and Conyers (1863-1926); by descent until 1983, to an anonymous owner; November 17, 1983, sold by this anonymous owner at Henry Spencer and Sons, Retford, lot 361. Henry Spencer and Sons closed in 2015. Collection of Museum Fine Art Boston (2001.58.1)]

The Duke of Leeds Doncaster Cup

The Doncaster cup is the oldest genuinely continuous horse race in Britain, founded in 1766. In 1818 the 6th Duke of Leeds was successful with Rasping. The cup varioulsy reported as London 1816 or 17 was made by Paul Storr and is of Warwick vase form. The trophy for the Doncaster Cup was the grandest object offered as a prize until Victorian times, when it was matched in splendour by the cups offered at Ascot and Goodwood. The 1818 cup engraved Bridge Et Rundell Aurifices Regis et Principis Walliae Regents Britannias, also later engraved with a Barons coronet and F&C.

The Duke of Leeds's 1818 winner Rasping was foaled in 1813 by Brown Bread out of a Pegasus mare. He was originally owned by Mr Trotter who sold the colt to the Duke in 1816 for whom he won four races and finished third in the St Leger. In 1817 Rasping won the Constitution Stakes at the York Spring Meeting, while his only win as a five-year-old was The Doncaster Cup triumph. He is then recorded as being sold to Mr Weston and by him to Mr Walker but does not seem to have raced again or to have been used as a stallion.

The cup:

Christie's London, 8 December 1994, lot 26

sold Christie’s London, 13 June 2000, lot 154 (£10,575 incl. prem)

Sotheby’s London, 18 July 2001, Lot 468 (offered)

The Duke of Leeds’ Pontefract Gold Cup of 1824, was also engraved with the Godolphin crest with Francha Leale Toge, by William Bateman, sold Christie’s London, 26 May 2000, lot 124. (£4,113 incl. prem), this has a circular base as opposed to the square base of a Warwick vase, this base shows evidence of scuffing from receiving a square base over the square section.