Presentation Pieces in the Museum of History and Technology Part 6

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 20.--THE VANDERBILT CUP, an annual award for automobile races in the early 20th century. Gift of William K.

Vanderbilt, Jr. In Division of Transportation. (Acc. 131820, cat. 310894; Smithsonian photo 45992-B.)]

Trophies were awarded for compet.i.tion among the various makes of cars almost as early as the advent of the automobile itself. The earliest such trophy in the Museum's collection is a three-handled, cut-gla.s.s cup[42] with a wide silver rim on which is engraved:

Automobile Club of New Jersey. Eagle Rock Hill Climbing Contest.

First Prize Nov. 5, 1901.

The prize was won by Charles E. Duryea who drove an automobile of his own manufacture.

Most important of the automobile trophies was the Vanderbilt Cup (fig.

20) for racing, which was established by William K. Vanderbilt, Jr., in 1904 to bring the best cars of foreign make to the United States so that domestic manufacturers could observe them. It is believed that the trophy contributed in this way to the rapid development of the automobile in the United States. The Vanderbilt Cup races were held annually in the United States under the auspices of the American Automobile a.s.sociation.

The silver cup, measuring 23 inches high and 20 inches in diameter and weighing about 40 pounds, is engraved with statistics of the various races--such as dates, winners, types of cars, distances, and times.[43]

There is a wreath around the brim, and the front is decorated with a period racing car in repousse. The inscription reads:

Challenge Cup Presented by W. K. Vanderbilt Jr. American Automobile a.s.sn. under deed of gift to be raced for yearly by cars under 1000 kilos.

On the inside of the stem is marked "Tiffany and Co." and "35 pints."

Athletic trophies in the collection include eight silver and silver-plated loving cups awarded for athletic events to the crew members of various s.h.i.+ps of the U.S. Navy.[44] The sporting events represented include baseball and football games, canoe and cutter races, and track meets held among the fleet between 1903 and 1915.

TROWELS FOR CORNERSTONE LAYING

The National Museum also has a small collection of silver trowels used for laying cornerstones of public buildings. There is an ivory-handled trowel (fig. 21) with the inscription:

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 21.--TROWEL used by President Ulysses S. Grant in laying the cornerstone of the Museum of Natural History, New York City.

Gift of Julia Dent Grant and William H. Vanderbilt. In Division of Political History. (Acc. 18528, cat. 3004; Smithsonian photo 45992-A.)]

This Trowel was used by His Excellency Ulysses S. Grant. President of the United States in laying the Corner Stone of the Building erected by the Department of Public Parks for the American Museum of Natural History and presented to him by the Trustees of the Museum New York June 2^nd 1874.

There are also some silver trowels in the Bishop Matthew Simpson Collection.[45] The earliest of these is inscribed:

Presented to Bishop Simpson D.D.L.L.D. at a laying of a stone of the New Wesleyan Church, Willesden, in commemoration of the 1st Methodist OEc.u.menical Conference held in London, Sept. 10, 1881.

This trowel (cat. 38199) bears the English standard marks with the initials "H. H."

On the same trip to London Bishop Simpson received an ivory-handled silver trowel (cat. 38198) inscribed:

Presented to Bishop Simpson upon his laying the foundation stone of Clouditte Methodist Church, Dublin, 12th October, 1881.

Another silver trowel in the same collection is inscribed:

Used by Bishop Simpson at the laying of the cornerstone of the Wenonah Methodist Episcopal Church, Wenonah, New Jersey, Aug. 15, 1883, and presented to him in loving remembrance of his presence.

This trowel (cat. 38197) is marked "Coin" on the back.

The fourth trowel, given to Mrs. Simpson, is inscribed as follows:

Presented to Mrs. Bishop Matthew Simpson by the Lady Managers in loving remembrance of her laying the cornerstone of the Methodist Episcopal Orphanage, Philadelphia, Oct. 13, 1887.

The back of this trowel (cat. 38208) is marked "Sterling."

FIRE TRUMPETS

Three fire trumpets in a collection[46] on loan from the Insurance Company of North America are inscribed as presentation pieces. One of these is 22 inches high and has eagle-head handles and an overall repousse design. This trumpet is engraved:

May 1871 Retired from active service by the establishment of the Volunteer Fire Department In grateful remembrance we restore to Samuel G. Simpson his handsome gift presented by him to the Southwark Fire Co. Nov. 7, 1865.

Another trumpet is engraved with crossed ladders, pikes, and fire helmets against an overall floral design. It is 19-1/2 inches high. The inscription reads:

Presented to Vigilant Engine Co. #6 of Paterson New Jersey at the Annual Fair of the Willis Street Baptist Church April 1879.

The inscription on the third trumpet reads simply:

Presented to Captain George W. Erb by the Ladies of St. Rose's Fair.

It has an elaborate engine-engraved design and is 21-1/2 inches high.

U.S. Government Printing Office: 1965

For sale by Superintendent of Doc.u.ments, U.S. Government Printing Office Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C. 20402 Price 30 cents

_Paper 47, pages 81-108, from UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 241_:

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY

SMITHSONIAN INSt.i.tUTION WAs.h.i.+NGTON, D.C.

1965

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Bequest of Arthur Michaels (acc. 162866, cat. 383497), Division of Cultural History, USNM.

[2] E. ALFRED JONES, _The Old Silver of American Churches_ (National Society of Colonial Dames of America, 1913), pp. 68-69 and pl. 27.

[3] Bequest of Arthur Michaels (acc. 162866, cat. 383549), Division of Cultural History, USNM.