This Elkington Rosewater Dish is a replica of the ladies singles championship
trophy which was also made by Elkington. The dish was made in the 1860's around the same time as Wimbledon's by Elkington
in very small quantities and is extremely rare. It would be the ultimate prize for any fan or former player of the ladies
tennis at Wimbledon. You can read some information on the history of the Wimbldon Ladies Trophy in the articals below.
This is a private sale of a prize possession and I am inviting offers. If you are interested please email
me with your offer, interest or enquiry to johnshiers69@googlemail.com and I will get back to you.
Ladies'
Singles Championship
The Ladies' Singles Trophy is a silver salver, sometimes referred to as the 'Rosewater
Dish' or 'Venus Rosewater Dish' which was first won by the Champion when the challenge round was introduced in
1886. The 50 guineas trophy was made in 1864 by Messrs. Elkington and Co. Ltd of Birmingham
and is a copy of an electrotype by Caspar Enderlein from a pewter original in the Louvre. The salver, which is made of sterling silver, partly gilded, is 18 3/4 inches in diameter.
There is a central boss surrounded by four reserves, with right on the spreading rim. The remainder of the surface is decorated
with gilt renaissance strapwork and foliate motifs in relief against a rigid silver ground. The theme of the decoration is mythological. The central boss has a figure of Temperance,
seated on a chest with a lamp in her right hand and a jug in her left, with various attributes such as a sickle, fork and
caduceus around her. The four reserves on the boss of the dish each contain a classical god, together with elements. The reserves
around the rim show Minerva presiding over the seven Liberal Arts: Astrology, Geometry, Arithmetic, Music, Rhetoric, Dialectic
and Grammar, each with relevant attribute. The rim of the salver has an ovolo moulding. Commencing in 1949 all champions have received a miniature replica of the trophy (diameter 8 inches).
dish
Title: Rosewater Dish
Maker: Elkington and Co.
Designer: Leonard
Morel-Ladeuil
1820 - 1888
1869
object diameter: 545mm object weight: 3250gm
plated
electrotype, parcel gilt
This dish is one of a pair with LEEAG.ME.1990.0032.0001. The design registration document
at the Public Record Office is numbered 234034 and the drawing inscribed 'An ornamental design for a rosewater dish Elkington
& Co 22 Regent Street, London 5 October 1869."
Clearly these dishes were conceived as sporting trophies
perhaps to be produced as a limited edition. The design is related in a general way to the celebrated late 16th century Temperantia
dish in pewter by Francois Briot (1550-post 1612), copies of which were made by Garrard's in 1862 (Christie's, 12
July 1989, lot 137) and by Elkington's in 1864 (All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon, Ladies Singles Championship Trophy).
The firm of Elkington was set up c. 1836. The original partners made their fortune by patenting the technique of electroplating
and allowing other manufacturers to use it under licence. They were also highly successful retailers and exhibited at all
the major European fairs. Among the designers employed by them were Benjamin Schlick (1796-1872), Pierre Emile Jeannest (1813-1857),
Leonard Morel-Ladeuil (1820-1888), E. W. Pugin (1834-1875) and Dr Christopher Dresser (1834-1904).
For more information
please see James Lomax 'British Silver at Temple Newsam and Lotherton Hall' (1992), Leeds Art Collections Fund
Accession Number: LEEAG.ME.1990.0032.0002Venus Rosewater Dish
From
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to:
navigation, searchThe Venus Rosewater Dish is awarded
to the ladies singles champion at the Wimbledon Championships. It is an 18.75in silver salver (or dish) made in 1864 by Messrs. Elkington and Co. Ltd. of Birmingham.
The pewter original from the 1500s resides in the Louvre. It is tradition for the winner to be awarded the trophy by
the Duke and Duchess of Kent and then "take a lap" around the court showing the trophy to the crowd (and photographers).
The winner does not actually keep the trophy, but since 1949 is given an 8in replica (along with the prize money).[1]The decoration theme is not actually
tennis or even sport, but mythological. In the middle is the figure of Sophrosyne (the god of temperance and moderation) seated on a chest with a lamp
in her right hand and a jug in her left. There are other attributes around her, such as a sickle, fork and caduceus. Around this center are four reserves each containing a classical
god, together with elements. There are seven reserves around the plate inside the outer rim showing Minerva presiding over the seven Liberal Arts: Astrology, Geometry, Arithmetic, Music, Rhetoric, Dialectic and Grammar, each with the relevant attribute.[2]
I also have the following pieces of Elkington for sale
The top two photos show a pair of Elkington dishes which
some people refer to as Elkington plaques or Elkington shields, this pair are signed by Leonard Morel-Ladeuil.
The other two Elkington dishes, shields or plaques are in wooden
frames. All four were made in the 1800s and would make nice additions to the venus rosewater dish for someones collection.
I am inviting offers for these elkington pieces as a group or individually.
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elkington dish, elkington dishes, elkington leonard morel-laduil, elkington for sale, elkington auction, elkington uk, elkington
usa, for sale elkington silver, elkington silver plate.
