A Victorian sterling silver twin handled trophy cup, London 1866 by Mappin and Webb

A Victorian sterling silver twin handled trophy cup, London 1866 by Mappin and Webb

Of campana form raised upon a stem formed as six Brunswick type rifles interlocked, all upon a six-footed curved circular base, with a matted terrace. The twin handles formed as acanthus capped C scroll enwrapped with a flagstaff and pennant. Each side embossed with a cartouche formed as ribbon tied laurel wreath above six interlocking rifles flanked by flagstaffs and pennants. One side engraved with a crest of a Griffin sejant, the other with a presentation inscription reading “This Battalion Cup was won on the 8^th August by the Second Breconshire Company of Volunteers and presented to Captain Bailey on September 6^th 1866.” Fully marked to the rim near handle.

Height – 31.1 cm / 12.55 inches

Weight – 1018 grams / 32.73 ozt

The inscription refers to Joseph Russell Bailey, 1st Baron Glanusk (1840 – 1906), known as Sir Joseph Bailey, 2nd Baronet, from 1858 to 1899, was a Welsh Conservative Member of Parliament. On 14 February 1861 he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the part-time 3rd (Crickhowell) Brecknockshire Rifle Volunteer Corps. On 15 May 1867 his company commander was promoted to command the 1st Administrative Battalion, Brecknockshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, and on the same day Bailey was appointed the battalion's first Honorary Colonel. He retained the position with the unit's successor, the 1st (Brecknockshire) Volunteer Battalion, South Wales Borderers, until his death, when he was succeeded by his eldest son. He was awarded the Volunteer Decoration. n 1864, he served as High Sheriff of Brecknockshire. In 1865 he was elected to the British House of Commons for Herefordshire, a seat he held until 1885 when the constituency was abolished, and then represented Hereford between 1886 and 1892. He also served as Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire from 1875 to 1905. In 1899, he was raised to the peerage as Baron Glanusk, of Glanusk Park in the County of Brecknock.