Why is trophy a cup

Perpetual Cups. Cups Trending Now Previous. Page You're currently reading page 1 Page 2 Page Next. Items 1 - 52 of 86 Show 52 All. My Wish List. Last Added Items. Add to Cart Add to Cart. Art Deco. View all Jewellery. Aquamarine Jewellery. Other Gemstone Jewellery. View all Gemstone Rings. Diamond Solitaire Rings. Aquamarine Rings. This may have been a cup on occasion, but it is difficult to trace any examples of cups designed for the sole purpose of serving as trophies in particular, for sporting events until the midth century.

Chalices were given to winners of sporting events in the New World at least as early as the late s. For example, the Kyp Cup made by silversmith Jesse Kyp , a small, two-handled, sterling cup, was given to the winner of a horse race between two towns in New England circa Chalices in particular, are associated with sporting events, and were traditionally made in silver.

Winners of horse races, and later boating and early automobile races, were the typical recipients of these trophies. Inverted-bell-shaped cups on spreading stems, often with covers and impressive finials were popular in the late 15th century.

Steeple cups are a uniquely English style, dating back to the Elizabethan and Stuart periods, between and the s. These statuesque, egg shaped cups standing on a tall spreading foot have a characteristic obelisk finial embellishing the domed cover. The function of such cups could be either religious, where the cup was used as a chalice, or secular, where the cup was for ornamental purposes.

This style of cup continued to develop and by the mid-late s, decorated and ornamented two handled cups of ogee form were produced. A slight variation in style during the s resulted in taller, more majestic pieces, with embossed and chased decoration, establishing the presentation cup in the form we recognise today.

When an individual won a sports event at that time, a chalice was given to the winner to celebrate his triumph. This later translated into the design of trophies in the 17th Century, which were made in the form of two-handled ox-eye cups. Gradually, the design was incorporated when making any trophy cup for a sports event.

Ever since then, the cup shape has been a trendsetter in custom trophies , a tradition that is followed even today. Note that a few sports trophies in ancient Greece and Rome did try to include shields to celebrate the victory of the winner.