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Lot Essay
Royal Patronage and Racing in Yorkshire
King James I was a frequent visitor to Newmarket where he spent his time hunting, coursing and hawking. However, his courtiers developed the area, during his long stays there, for racing. The original palace was King James's work but was later a favourite of King Charles II, who founded the Newmarket Town Plate in 1665, and the system of King's Plates or gold prize cups seems to have begun also at Newmarket, during the reign of either King Charles II or King William III.
By 1702, under Queen Anne, 100 guineas each was put up for the two Yorkshire Plates. The first recorded was run for at Bramham Moor in 1702. The 1705 and 1708 Bramham cups were later combined to form a single cup, which is now in the Al Tajir Collection. However contemporary descriptions of the 1706 race, for which the present cup was awarded, record that the race was run at Richmond.
The Race and the Winning Horse
The London Gazette for 18 June 1706 contains the following advertisement:
'Her Majesty's Golden Cup will be run for at Richmond in Yorkshire, in the Great Pastures there, on Thursday the 15th August next, by any Horse, Mare or Gelding, 6 years, carrying 12 stone weight; 3 heat; Gentlemen to ride; the Horse..., to be entered 14 days before, at Mr. Raper's at the Queen's Arms Richmond aforesaid. Owner of the Horse, Mare or Gelding must bring a certificate from the Breeder that his Horse, Mare or Gelding is really no more than six the Grass before he runs.'
The winning horse was owned by Sir Ralph Milbanke 4th Bt., who raced as the contemporary of Cuthbert Routh (see lot 12) and John Hutton, buying and selling horses amongst themselves; Sir Ralph's sister, Judith, was married to Routh.
The Prize
The records of the Royal Jewel House in the Lord Chamberlain's Accounts are preserved in the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane. The manuscripts provide a record of the ordering of plate from the Royal Goldsmiths of the day and the ongoing repairs and refurbishment of the Royal Plate. More importantly in this instance they record the delivery of grants of plate. The present cup is listed in The Plate Book or Goldsmith's Book and also in the Day Book. The entry in the Plate Book:
'Folio 87,
the Yorkshire Horse Race, 20th June
Reced one gold cupp and cover wt. 23oz. 07dw. 10gr. at 5lbs. 5s. £122.14.3'.
The Day Book, for 1706, records that on July 25:
'Folio 104
Delivered unto ffrns Blackbourne Esq., by the hands of Mr James Spragg one gold cupp in a leather case 23=07=10
And recd by James Spragg Esq. upon the file date'
The cups seem to have cost about £130 each and it may be assumed that 100 guineas' weight of gold was instructed to be made into a cup, allowing £25 for box and the costs of manufacture. M. Clayton, op. cit., notes that 'Queen Anne seems to have been as keen on racing as Charles II and presented a number of gold and silver cups, including that in gold made by Pierre Harache, Junior, in 1705, and competed for at a Yorkshire horse race meeting at Richmond in 1706; its making cost £122 14s 3d.' The present example of a Royal Plate is thought to be the oldest surviving example. The last Royal Cups were those of 1720. From then on George I and his successors saved money by paying 100 guineas in cash.
Pierre Harache
Pierre Harache II (b.1653) was made free by redemption by order of the Court of Aldermen in October 1698 and entered three marks as a largeworker the following day. His address is listed as Compton Street, St Anne's Church, until 1705 and afterwards at Grafton Street from 1714 until 1717. Harache was of Huguenot descent and an active member of the London Huguenot community, as indicated by the numerous extant records of his witnessing marriages and standing godfather for his fellow Huguenots. His reputation as a leading goldsmith is based upon a well documented output including many articles made for the Royal and aristocratic families, in competition with his main rival David Willaume (see lot 15).
King James I was a frequent visitor to Newmarket where he spent his time hunting, coursing and hawking. However, his courtiers developed the area, during his long stays there, for racing. The original palace was King James's work but was later a favourite of King Charles II, who founded the Newmarket Town Plate in 1665, and the system of King's Plates or gold prize cups seems to have begun also at Newmarket, during the reign of either King Charles II or King William III.
By 1702, under Queen Anne, 100 guineas each was put up for the two Yorkshire Plates. The first recorded was run for at Bramham Moor in 1702. The 1705 and 1708 Bramham cups were later combined to form a single cup, which is now in the Al Tajir Collection. However contemporary descriptions of the 1706 race, for which the present cup was awarded, record that the race was run at Richmond.
The Race and the Winning Horse
The London Gazette for 18 June 1706 contains the following advertisement:
'Her Majesty's Golden Cup will be run for at Richmond in Yorkshire, in the Great Pastures there, on Thursday the 15th August next, by any Horse, Mare or Gelding, 6 years, carrying 12 stone weight; 3 heat; Gentlemen to ride; the Horse..., to be entered 14 days before, at Mr. Raper's at the Queen's Arms Richmond aforesaid. Owner of the Horse, Mare or Gelding must bring a certificate from the Breeder that his Horse, Mare or Gelding is really no more than six the Grass before he runs.'
The winning horse was owned by Sir Ralph Milbanke 4th Bt., who raced as the contemporary of Cuthbert Routh (see lot 12) and John Hutton, buying and selling horses amongst themselves; Sir Ralph's sister, Judith, was married to Routh.
The Prize
The records of the Royal Jewel House in the Lord Chamberlain's Accounts are preserved in the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane. The manuscripts provide a record of the ordering of plate from the Royal Goldsmiths of the day and the ongoing repairs and refurbishment of the Royal Plate. More importantly in this instance they record the delivery of grants of plate. The present cup is listed in The Plate Book or Goldsmith's Book and also in the Day Book. The entry in the Plate Book:
'Folio 87,
the Yorkshire Horse Race, 20th June
Reced one gold cupp and cover wt. 23oz. 07dw. 10gr. at 5lbs. 5s. £122.14.3'.
The Day Book, for 1706, records that on July 25:
'Folio 104
Delivered unto ffrns Blackbourne Esq., by the hands of Mr James Spragg one gold cupp in a leather case 23=07=10
And recd by James Spragg Esq. upon the file date'
The cups seem to have cost about £130 each and it may be assumed that 100 guineas' weight of gold was instructed to be made into a cup, allowing £25 for box and the costs of manufacture. M. Clayton, op. cit., notes that 'Queen Anne seems to have been as keen on racing as Charles II and presented a number of gold and silver cups, including that in gold made by Pierre Harache, Junior, in 1705, and competed for at a Yorkshire horse race meeting at Richmond in 1706; its making cost £122 14s 3d.' The present example of a Royal Plate is thought to be the oldest surviving example. The last Royal Cups were those of 1720. From then on George I and his successors saved money by paying 100 guineas in cash.
Pierre Harache
Pierre Harache II (b.1653) was made free by redemption by order of the Court of Aldermen in October 1698 and entered three marks as a largeworker the following day. His address is listed as Compton Street, St Anne's Church, until 1705 and afterwards at Grafton Street from 1714 until 1717. Harache was of Huguenot descent and an active member of the London Huguenot community, as indicated by the numerous extant records of his witnessing marriages and standing godfather for his fellow Huguenots. His reputation as a leading goldsmith is based upon a well documented output including many articles made for the Royal and aristocratic families, in competition with his main rival David Willaume (see lot 15).