Dirk Posted January 4, 2015 Share #1 Posted January 4, 2015 Here is a latest find that might have some interest: a sterling silver baseball trophy attributed to a Peking based jeweler. The seller noted the trophy was awarded in China, most likely to a military man. The seller also listed the jeweler, who had a western name, but not much else. Given the 1939 date and the city of Tientsin, clues that lead me to think it had to have been awarded to a Marine. A quick check of the muster rolls proved correct, this Marine was stationed in Tientsin. At the time he was assigned to D Company, he had formally been assigned to HQ Company MarDet Peiping. I also recognized the jewelers name from copies of the Marine’s monthly publication of the time: “The Tientsin Marine.” Levy was a Peking based jeweler located within the Legation Quarter who advertised in North China Marine publications that he, alongside of selling watches and other items, produced sporting trophies of all kinds. Given the limited space within the Legation Quarter, a prestigious location, Levy would have been considered a high end jeweler in the city- used by the diplomatic community and wealthy Chinese catering to Western tastes. Next I wanted to see if I had anything on the Marines Softball League, and fortunately I found within my copies of the Tientsin Marine, the results of the 1939 Softball Season. As noted in other threads, US forces in China took sports very seriously, both for conditioning purposes and to prevent the men from indulging in other less acceptable pursuits. Throughout the year the Marines participated in several baseball and softball leagues. It turns out D Company did in December of that year, win the intra-Detachment championship and was awarded the “Open Challenge Trophy”. In addition, I learned ten individual silver cups were awarded by a Mrs. Sosin, wife of the donor of the Open Challenge Trophy on that same day. This cup is one of those ten. The cup itself is very small…with the bowl no bigger than an egg cup we are more familiar with. The engraving, even on this small cup is excellent and finely executed, and helps build a database on pre-war Chinese engraving styles we can expect to see on Marine presentation items. Given how hot the market is for old Chinese silver, I am pleased to have grabbed this for a reasonable price. And as an added bonus I found the Marine’s picture in the 1940 Tientsin Annual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted January 4, 2015 Share #2 Posted January 4, 2015 Very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted January 4, 2015 Share #3 Posted January 4, 2015 Outstanding piece! Great research....as usual! Congrats......S/F.....Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #4 Posted January 4, 2015 Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGA-DOG Posted January 4, 2015 Share #5 Posted January 4, 2015 That's gorgeous. Great job on the research as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovmilinsig Posted January 5, 2015 Share #6 Posted January 5, 2015 Very interesting. Thanks for posting. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share #7 Posted January 5, 2015 Thanks guys! Good China Marine stuff still out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Queen Posted January 5, 2015 Share #8 Posted January 5, 2015 Very cool Dirk. It found it's way to the right collector/collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share #9 Posted January 6, 2015 Eric thank you for your kind words! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diggummup Posted January 6, 2015 Share #10 Posted January 6, 2015 Great story to go along with your even greater research. Putting all the pieces together makes that trophy much more interesting and surely adds to the value, both historical and monetary. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriscoHare Posted January 7, 2015 Share #11 Posted January 7, 2015 Tremendous score! Very nice. Love the history behind it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted February 1, 2015 Share #12 Posted February 1, 2015 Don't know how I missed this one... Great find, Dirk. Glad you were able to get it! You turn up some great China stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share #13 Posted February 2, 2015 Thanks guys! Brig glad I got it....as I said above the Chinese are brining their silver back, making it harder to buy at decent prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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