AN INDIAN PRESENTATION ‘RACKETS’ TROPHY
UNMARKED
£819
Auction: The Fiona Buchanan Indian Silver Collection | Wednesday 4th March at 10am
Description
The deep cup with a beaded border above and engraved inscription ‘D. C. LUSK ESQr BY ATHLETIC CLUB M.C.C.’ chased hunting depictions, with lions, elephants and hunters to the body, raised on three supports modelled as racket racquets, to a circular foot with a foliate border
Dimensions
18cm high, 7.9oz
Footnote
The game of rackets was surprisingly borne in London prisons, particularly, Fleet Prison. First established in the 18th century, it took another hundred years for the game to become respectable after its introduction to Harrow school in 1822. Charles Dickens does however mention in his novel The Pickwick Papers (1836–37) how the inmates played racket.
The rules and etiquette can be found in the publication by Atkins, J. R. The Book of Racquets. A practical guide to the game and its history and to the different courts in which it is played, London: Frederick Warne, [1872] which details that the game itself is similar to other racket sports but is played in a 9.1m by 18.3m enclosed court, with a ceiling at least 9.1 m high., although it must be mentioned that in India, the roofs were removed. Games could be long as leaving the court would mean forfeiting the match.
The engraving to the border of this cup mentions the Athletic Club M.C.C. which may relate to a cricket club.