Rare 1861 Sterling Silver Shooting Trophy Goblet. Birmingham Rifle Volunteers.

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Rare 1861 Sterling Silver Shooting Trophy Goblet. Birmingham Rifle Volunteers.:
$615.46

Extremely rare and impressively-designed and engraved Victorian sterling silver rifle shooting trophy which forms part of the early history of the Birmingham Rifle Volunteer Corps. The trophy bears a raised silver disc depicting a rifle shooting scene and the cartouche is surrounded by a raised oak leaf and acorn design. The engraving reads \"PRESENTED BY Arthur Ryland Esq. MAYOR OF BIRMINGHAM AS A PRIZE TO BE COMPETED FOR AT 200 YARDS BY THE MEMBERS OF THE BIRMINGHAM RIFLE VOLUNTEER CORPS. WON BY Mr. Edwin Appleby No. 10 COMPANY Septr. 23rd. 1861\".
Weight: 217.5 gm. Height: 185 mm. Diameter of rim: 80 mm. Diameter of base: 85 mm. Hall Mark: Birmingham 1861. Makers Mark: Rubbed but ends \"& Co\".
Birmingham Rifle Volunteer Corps: The enthusiasm for the Volunteer movement following a French invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many Rifle Volunteer Corps composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in times of need. One such unit was the 1st (Birmingham Rifles) Warwickshire RVC formed in October 1859. In March the following year it absorbed two other Birmingham-based units, the 3rd Warwickshire RVC and the 6th.
Arthur Ryland (Mayor of Birmingham): Arthur Ryland (1807 - 1877) was the 19th Mayor of Birmingham serving in 1860. He was a prominent businessman who owned a brass works and was an expert on the assaying of precious metals. He hosted a visit to Birmingham on January 6th 1853 by author Charles Dickens and presented him with a silver salver and a diamond ring on behalf of the am indebted to a fellow er who sent me the following extract from The Birmingham Daily Post, Tuesday 24th September 1861:
BIRMINGHAM RIFLE VOLUNTEERS - RIFLE COMPETITION YESTERDAYThe two cups offered for competition by the Mayor & Mr Scholefield, MP, as regimental prizes, were shot for by the volunteers at Bournbrook yesterday. The weather was fine during the whole of the time that the shooting was going on but a grey deal of trouble was given to the competitors by a smart breeze that met them full in the face, and during a portion of the time by the bad light, the rays of the setting sun dazzling their eyes.
The prize first competed for was the Mayor\'s Cup, which was shot for at the 200 yards range by ten men from each company, selected by their previous shooting, each man having five rounds. The Cup was won by Private Appleby, of the 10th Company, who made a score of nine by two outers, two centres and a bulls eye. Up to the very last moment the result was doubtful, several others of the competitors having scored 8, and Appleby not having made the bulls eye until his last shot.
The Mayor handed the cup, which is in the chalice form, and bears on one side an inscription stating the circumstances under which it was presented, and on the other a beautiful bas relievo in oxidised silver, representing riflemen firing in the respective positions of, from the shoulder and on the knee, to the Colonel Mason, who presented it to the winner, complimenting him on the attention and perseverance that had enabled him to succeed on this occasion, and expressing a hope that it was not the last cup he would win As can be seen from the photos & history this is a very rare, collectable and old (156 years) Victorian sterling silver rifle shooting trophy prize. It will certainly be of interest to anyone interested in the military history of the City of Birmingham or indeedcollectorsof early Rifle Volunteer items.