1911 Tiffany & Co. Diamond-Encrusted Sterling Silver Polo Trophy

This magnificent sterling silver polo trophy was crafted by the estimable Tiffany & Co in 1911. The Adam's style urn body and top is brilliantly crafted in the classical vein, with simple braided trim, two elegant long handles, and a neoclassical finial on the top. At center is the show-stopping and impressively sized silver polo player atop his horse, fully encrusted in black diamonds.  The trophy is hallmarked and stamped with the Tiffany & Co. mark. A jubilant and celebratory piece, this trophy is a brilliant example of American silver.  

Nothing recognizes achievement in sports like Tiffany & Co. trophies. The design house has been at the center of American sports since 1860, the year they crafted their first horse racing trophy.  Since then, the firm has designed and produced trophies for tennis, sailing, horse racing, baseball, football, basketball, and many more, including the US Open Tennis Championship trophy, the NFL's Vince Lombardi trophy, and the MLB's World Series trophy. For many sports, a Tiffany & Co. trophy is the coveted symbol of victory, so it is no surprise that the long-storied game of polo would be celebrated with such a trophy, as seen in this present example.

The modern game of polo originated in Manipur, a northeastern state of India. The Silchar Polo Club was founded in 1859 by British military officers and tea planters, after Lieutenant Joe Sherer saw the locals playing polo and decided to learn the game. From India, polo spread as fast as its enthusiasts could travel, appearing in Malta in 1868, England in 1869, Ireland in 1870, Argentina in 1872, and Australia in 1874.

On a trip to England, James Gordon Bennett, publisher of the New York Herald, saw his first polo game. Early in 1876, he returned to New York with mallets, balls and a copy of the Hurlingham rules. The first game was played at a city riding academy; in the spring they moved outdoors to a field in Westchester County. That summer, the New York players took polo to Newport, R.I. Soon the galloping game was being played across North America.

CONDITION:

In remarkable condition. Large sterling silver trophy, with urn base and top.  Polo figure on horse at center of urn, encrusted with numerous small black diamonds, all of which are intact and secure. No signs of tarnish.  Hallmarked along the backside of the urn at the top, along the base of the urn, as well as on finial’s top. Stamped "Tiffany & Co" along base of urn. Stamped "GA" underneath the trophy. Trophy Dimensions: 15" H x 11" W x 7" D. 

Trophy is presented in a new, custom-built archival box. The interior of the box is molded to its exact shape and velvet-lined, for safekeeping and transport. The lid of the box is decorated with a gilt stamped title inlay, in robin’s egg blue.