Cup thumbnail 1
Cup thumbnail 2
On display

Cup

1874 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This form of loving cup first appeared in the Elkington pattern books in 1873. It could be made in silver and in 1885 a catalogue of the firm's products illustrated a similar elaborately decorated cup costing £ 33. Such a large and heavy item was probably intended for display on the sideboard in either a private home or a public dining room of some elegance. The Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras station was indeed very stylish. Designed by the architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott, the interior was as richly embellished as the fine eclectic gothic of the facade. The hotel opened in 1873, with plate ordered from Elkingtons, china from the Royal Porcelain Company, Worcester and glass from P.& C. Osler.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Electroplated nickel silver, gilt within
Brief description
Electroplated nickel silver, Birmingham, 1874, made by Elkington and Co.
Physical description
Three-handled cup, the body, cylindrical, tapering towards the rim and rests on a plain moulded foot. The rim and base of the body, embellished with a line of chased decoration; similarly the handles. The interior, gilt.

Top perimeter: decorated with beads and spikes; Bottom perimeter: band of floral decoration; Each handle: underside decorated as leaf branch with band of beads. Corner decorated with bunch of beads on top of handle which is decorated as a leaf branch. Top side decorated with circular and triangular shapes and at the base of each handle there is a hole.
Dimensions
  • Height: 17.4cm
  • Length: 25.4cm
  • Width: 25.4cm
Marks and inscriptions
(Base: E&Co mark plus E&Co spelt out, date letter N for 1899, Elkington 13474. Design Registry Mark for 1st May 1887~Front: Centre marked with illustration of griffin and inscribed beneath ‘The Midland Grand Hotel’)
Credit line
On Loan from the Science Museum Group
Object history
"National Railway Museum Loan
Top perimeter: decorated with beads and spikes; Bottom perimeter: band of floral decoration; Each handle: underside decorated as leaf branch with band of beads. Corner decorated with bunch of beads on top of handle which is decorated as a leaf branch. Top side decorated with circular and triangular shapes and at the base of each handle there is a hole.

This form of loving cup first appeared in the Elkington pattern books in 1873. It could be made in silver and in 1885 a catalogue of the firm's products illustrated a similar elaborately decorated cup costing £ 33. Such a large and heavy item was probably intended for display on the sideboard in either a private home or a public dining room of some elegance. The Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras station was indeed very stylish. Designed by the architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott, the interior was as richly embellished as the fine eclectic gothic of the facade. The hotel opened in 1873, with plate ordered from Elkingtons, china from the Royal Porcelain Company, Worcester and glass from P.&C. Osler. "
Subject depicted
Summary
This form of loving cup first appeared in the Elkington pattern books in 1873. It could be made in silver and in 1885 a catalogue of the firm's products illustrated a similar elaborately decorated cup costing £ 33. Such a large and heavy item was probably intended for display on the sideboard in either a private home or a public dining room of some elegance. The Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras station was indeed very stylish. Designed by the architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott, the interior was as richly embellished as the fine eclectic gothic of the facade. The hotel opened in 1873, with plate ordered from Elkingtons, china from the Royal Porcelain Company, Worcester and glass from P.& C. Osler.
Other number
1999-7111 - Lender Object Number
Collection
Accession number
LOAN:NRM YORK.1:14-1999

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Record createdMarch 16, 2004
Record URL
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