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An important Western Australian racing trophy cup the…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Perth
Date:
21-Sep-2011
Lot No.
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Description:
An important Western Australian racing trophy cup the Kalgoorlie cup, 1936 a solid gold cup in the classical form, having two handles, engraved, 'Kalgoorlie Cup 1936'. Stamped 9ct. Weight: 302 grams;. Height 17 cm (without stand). Provenance: Melbourne collection. Private collection, Perth attributed to Alexander Samuel Robinson (Alec) lambert, (1899 and 1994) apprenticed to Donovan and Overland in 1913, the next year he assisted in making the 1914 Perth cup, which was commissioned by the firm Caris Bros. Over the years Lambert made many Perth cups as well as ecclesiastical cups and chalices. From 1922 he worked with Matthew Orgill before venturing out on his own in 1937. His Son joined the business in 1958 (now Lambert & Sons), they made items for many Western Australian retailers. Reference: gold and Silversmithing in Western Australia by Dorothy Erickson, 2010, p. 129 note: we thank Dorothy Erickson for her attribution the 1936 Kalgoorlie cup was one of the most notorious horse races in the state's history, due to the suspected substitution of the winning horse, Vital, for the better runner, Palfresco, from the East, who had won the Caulfield cup the previous year. Max Presnell, writing for the Sydney Morning Herald, 22 September, 2006 wrote the following: 'Not So For the Plungers Behind a Coup with Vital, Some Say It Was Actually Palfresco, in 1936, the Previous Year Palfresco Took the Caulfield Cup So It Could Be Ascertained He Had An Edge on Goldfields Opposition, Particularly with a 'Vital Handicap'. 'Vital' won the Hannan's Sprint over a mile on the first day and backed up to take the Kalgoorlie cup. Vital and Palfresco looked alike and had similar identification markings, but Vital was not in the same class. Palfresco was supposedly spelling at the time, there are many theories in support of the ring-in but the round, in part, points out. 'It Would Not Have Been Easy to Run Checks with Eastern States. (But) Even More Puzzling Is How the Stewards Could Not Tell the Difference Between a Stallion and a Gelding. Palfresco Was a Four-Year Old Stallion and Vital a Six-Year Old Gelding'.
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Precious Objects: Gold cups and trophies