A lot of those trophys were sterling silver and very heavy, I'd say during times when silver got high many of them went to the smelter. Same reason you so seldom find E. Howard keywind watches in their original case. When keywinds became out of date, for many years, the cases were worth more than the watch. It's getting that way again today I'm sad to say. I just heard of a 14k railroad watch being scrapped because it was worth more in gold than as a watch.


Destry

I would guess that these trophys were awarded back when fine shooting was "respectable"

I don't find early trophies of much interest unless I can tie the trophy to a "winner". That research is not easy, even if the date and location of the shoot is engraved. Without a shooter's name engraved, the task of identifying the "winner" is difficult.

What are the Odds???...
 

There's only one thing I could imagine being better than a printed image of an "ornate shooting trophy" in a 1892 F&S publication, and that would be an original old photo from the same time period showing an early (identified) live bird shooter standing with his long barreled Parker next to an identical "ornate shooting trophy" he had won in competition... What are the odds of such an interesting and unique old Parker related photo like the one I've described actually surviving the test of time and still being around a 100+ years later?... Probably about the same odds as finding Jack Fanning's long lost Parker/Curtis Try-Gun hidden under the mattress of an old gun hoarding curmudgeon in the Maryland area.:D... Some folks might consider the above statement a long-shot, but those in the know would call it a sure-thing when making a serious money bet...;)

Best, CSL
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I donated a book to the Silent Auction last year in Louisville which was the "History of Trap Shooting in Missouri from 1887" or some such title. In any case, there were some great pictures of awards and trophies in that book with the names of the shooters to whom they were awarded. Maybe the buyer of that book will step forward and possibly answer some questions.

CSL, can`t help with Mr Fannings parker but I do own a nice orignal cabinet card of a young F.D. Kelsey standing with one of the largest silver trophies
I have ever seen...

RD

Some plates from the book I mentioned earlier in this thread.



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20 Years of Trapshooting in Missouri... and the Kansas City Star Cup. Won and retired by the great JAR Elliott more times than any other shooter. Great
book filled with information and shooting matches from well known shooters.. 1878-1898.

RD

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RD, That would be a great Cabinet photo, I'd like to see it sometime... I also have a few original images of Kelsey... If memory serves, Frank as a young boy was a drummer during the Civil War conflict, and he continued to be a high percentage shooter well into his later years... As for Jack Fanning's Parker Try/Gun, I know where it is...

Best, CSL
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CSL.. I`ll have to take a pic to email for your viewing. Also have his last
Grand American trophy.

RD