A piece of Cheshire hunting history made almost twice its sale estimate when it went under the hammer yesterday (9 December).
The Tarporley Hunt Cup, an antique, silver trophy, was expected to raise up to £1,800 when auctioned at Ewbank Clarke Gammon Wellers saleroom in Send, Surrey, on Wednesday, but instead sold for £2,500.
Fittingly it was bought by a member of the modern day Tarporley Hunt Club, now a dining club.
William Speigelberg, who lives in Tarporley, and other members of the club still meet in the same room at The Swan pub as when it was founded in 1762.
Mr Speilgelberg purchased the cup on behalf of the club and said it would be kept “under lock and key” to be brought out for club dinners and on special occasions.
He said: “I’m delighted to have saved the cup and to be bringing it back to Tarporley where it belongs. I’m very pleased to have got it but I was on my last bid.”
The foot-high trophy is decorated with chariots and classical figures and inscribed with the words “Tarporley Hunt 1858”. The names of the winners — James Platt and Welsh Heiress — are on the back.
The cup is being sold by a descendent of Mr Platt and the auctioneers believe it was made in Dublin by James le Bass in 1832.
The Tarporley Hunt Club’s first members were nine young men who hunted at Tarporley in Cheshire at weekends.
They were recognisable by their distinctive green and red hunting coats, worn today by staff of the Cheshire Hunt.
