Large pottery pugilists Loving Cup commemorating Spring and Langan circa 1824/25

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£2450

Dated: 1824 to 1825 Staffordshire England

This large, impressive loving cup is decorated with images of the famous bear knuckle pugilists Spring and Langan, commemorating their epic confrontation in 1824. Depicted are the champion boxer Tom Spring with Irishman Jack Langan. The fight occurred at Worcester racecourse in 1824, watched by 40,000 people and for a purse of 300 sovereigns. It lasted 77 rounds, with Langan defeated after two hours and thirty-two minutes. On his retirement, Tom Spring purchased the Castle Inn, Holborn, which became the unofficial headquarters of English boxing. The cup's interior features two frogs, two newts, and a black-and-white border with rural country scenes of two male figures troubled by a bull. The loving cup is a rare example with good quality images in polychrome and made at the Staffordshire potteries.

Dimensions: 7 inches high

Diameter: 6.5 inches

Current Condition: Hairline at the body from the rim restored.

Provenance: Previously with Alistair Sampson London

£2450    $3307

Description

This large, impressive loving cup is decorated with images of the famous bear knuckle pugilists Spring and Langan, commemorating their epic confrontation in 1824. Depicted are the champion boxer Tom Spring with Irishman Jack Langan. The fight occurred at Worcester racecourse in 1824, watched by 40,000 people and for a purse of 300 sovereigns. It lasted 77 rounds, with Langan defeated after two hours and thirty-two minutes. On his retirement, Tom Spring purchased the Castle Inn, Holborn, which became the unofficial headquarters of English boxing. The cup’s interior features two frogs, two newts, and a black-and-white border with rural country scenes of two male figures troubled by a bull. The loving cup is a rare example with good quality images in polychrome and made at the Staffordshire potteries.

Additional information

Dimensions 7 in