The first winning Olympians of ancient Greece were awarded only a crown made of laurel leaves. The honor of victory was considered the real prize, unlike the contemporary attitude of "Show me the money!" These ancient athletes were, however, showered with gifts upon returning to their city-states. Those gifts have long been considered the first sports trophies.
 
A trophy signifies a memorial of a victory. The word "trophy" is derived from the French "trophee," from the Latin "trophaeum" ("monument to victory"), a variant of "tropaeum," from the Greek "tropaion," the neuter of "tropaios" ("defeat"), from the verb "trope" ("to rout") which translates as a "turning." In essence, turning a defeat into a victory that will bring forth a trophy. In ancient Greece, the trophy originated as a memento of victory in battle. These "trophies" referred to arms and armor and were hung at the battle site on a tree or stake to resemble a warrior. They were inscribed with details of the battle. Ancient Romans began the tradition of giving trophies to returning warriors. These trophies were constructed with columns and arches attached to a foundation. The term "trophy" in relation to hunting came in to use in the 17th century. Usage of the term in relation to expanded themes spread throughout the 18th century. Since the late 16th century, trophies have become objects created for a specific occasion and awarded to the victors in a competition, to be kept as proof of merit. Since 1989, the term has also been applied to social status symbols, such as "Trophy Wife" or "Trophy Property."
 
Trophies are often called "cups," and the two words remain synonymous. From the 17th century on, many trophies in the English-speaking world were, in fact, cups, most often represented by the two-handled form, sometimes with a cover. You know, just like the one Lucy Ricardo managed to get her head stuck in on the 1957 episode of "I Love Lucy" titled "Lucy and the Loving Cup." The original intent seems to have been that the victor could be toasted in a "loving cup" fashion, each handle being grasped. My suspicion is that this is the impetus for the term "love handles" entering our vocabulary in the 1960s. One-handled forms of cup trophies are referred to as "mugs."
 
Victorians and Edwardians continued to refer to all trophies as "cups" despite the fact that many were not in cup form at all but were freestanding, three-dimensional sculptures. In many instances, the trophies of these periods made no reference at all to the sports they honored, outside of a few lines of engraving.
 
Most trophies have been silver, gold or metals replicating silver or gold. Some Victorian trophies were made of pottery and porcelain. Today most trophies are gold- or silver-plated or made of other shiny metals or plastics. This is due to the increase in prices of precious metals.
 
The tradition of expensive materials cast into simple designs, such as teapots, for trophies faded out in the 18th century. The "Adam" influence toward the close of the century resulted in the "cup" becoming more of an "urn," reflecting the light, delicate, neo-classical design orientation of the time. Although cups or urns continued to be made, trays, boxes, water pitchers, vases, cigar stands, punch bowls and various kinds of objects became popular as trophies. By the mid-19th century, trophy design had become a victim of rampant over-decoration.
 
"Modern" designers wanted to simplify trophy-making. In the "Art Journal" of 1898, the silversmith C.R. Ashbee denounced elaborate trophies and called for refinement in their design. Ashbee commented on the "badly spun and intrinsically useless lump of silver, upon which we inscribe names and dates in the various types selected from a printer's catalogue. My plea here is that the trophy shall be regarded as a work of art. ..." He railed against the big trophy firms that manufactured "machine-stamped tankards, pencil-cases, and butter spoons."
 
Ashbee's statements, along with those of other advocates of the streamlined, had some effect. The Art Deco trophies of the 1920s and 1930s were simple yet stunning, and closer to modern sculpture than in previous generations. The "old-fashioned" trophy continued to be made, although with much less decoration.
 
Mass-produced, molded trophies used to be of little interest to collectors. In recent years, the landscape has changed and these are now collected side by side with unique trophies or trophies of which only a few examples remain. This is especially true in the United States, where few antique trophies exist. The oldest North American trophy was presented in 1851 at the America's Cup for international yachting; however, only since about 1925 has the enormous proliferation of trophies in the United States come about. Most have been executed in the simple, "modern" style, although some have continued the tradition of flamboyant Victorian design. One example of this is the Orange Bowl trophy, given in football since 1935. The trophy shows a bowl of silver oranges, one of which is peeled back to reveal a football player in the pass position.
 
Many gold and silver trophies have been melted down to recover the metal, and those that were made of base metal have often ended up as scrap. Nevertheless, trophies exist on the antiques market in fairly good numbers. Discriminating collectors stick to a single sport or subject. Look for trophies that are engraved or have a metal plaque giving information on winners over a period of time; trophies with decorative engraving; and silver examples hallmarked by the maker.  Markings are generally found under the base and older trophies may be marked on the sides.
 
So when did the trophy replace the laurel leaves as a reward for a well-played sport? The oldest sporting trophies known were given in 1599 to the winners of the horse races at Kingmoor course in the city of Carlisle in England. The two silver-gilt bells are extremely rare. One carries the initials of Henry Baines, who was mayor of Carlisle in 1599. The bell is also inscribed:
 
"The sweftes horse thes bel to tak
for my Lade Dakar sake"
 
 ("The swiftest horse this bell is to take
for Lady Dacre's sake").
 
Ah, more bells!
 
In 1702, Queen Anne instituted a Gold Cup Prize for the Yorkshire races. The 1705 prize was a 6-inch, 23-ounce gold, two-handled cup with cover, engraved with the royal arms. It was made by Pierre Harache Jr., a refugee Huguenot silversmith from France. This cup has been repeatedly sold on the auction market. Expect to cough up at least $75,000 if you want to bid next time it is offered!
 
Another pricey trophy offering on the market has been any one of several gold Georgian teapots that were presented to the winners of the annual Edinburgh races during the 1720s and 1730s. These teapots hover around $100,000 each at auction.
 
Don't be discouraged by the above prices. Those trophies are very rare and are among the highest priced on the market. Trophies and loving cups may be found at garage sales, estate sales, flea markets, antique shops and collectibles shows at a range of prices. Specific trophies are popular with collectors of many subjects, including bowling, automobile racing, dog shows and other sports. Loving cups have become most popular over the last couple of decades with decorators. Vintage trophy cups can be warm and interesting home accents. They are also useful as spooners, vases, and desk accessories for stowing work detritus.
 
No matter your area of collecting interest or your home design aesthetic, trophies can add charm and panache to your displays. That's what I call a winning combination!

Linn County Leader