The famous British Open Championship Shield has undergone specialist restoration to ensure future winners will be able to have their names displayed for banding posterity.
New plates
As all the existing gold brass medallions had been filled following Tredegar’s 2013 victory at Symphony Hall, two brand new gold brass plates have now been put in place with ample room for the engraving of the next 20 or so winners.
The work was undertaken by Nigel Matthews, a specialist jeweller based in Brecon in Mid Wales, who was delighted to be able to find out more about what he called a ‘fascinating’ trophy.
Intriguing origins
Nigel also managed to shed some more light on the Shield’s intriguing origins before it was first presented at Belle Vue in Manchester in 1924 to the Newcastle Steel Works Band from Australia.
Research has already found out that it was originally presented by the British Industrial Musical Association at their annual Charities Contest held in Scotstoun in Glasgow from 1919 to 1922.
It was a contest that for a short time rivalled the British Open, although it later found itself in financial difficulties. With its organisers embroiled in an expensive legal wrangle, the trophy was eventually bought for a third of its value (estimated to be around £1,200 at the time) by the Belle Vue management.
Scottish winners
However, the medallions of the original Scotstoun winners still adorn the top of the Shield — starting with Foden’s in 1919, followed by Wingates Temperance in 1920 and Black Dyke in 1921 and 1922.
"It’s a fascinating piece of high class craftsmanship," Nigel told 4BR.
"It’s made from 18 carat gold and has the Glasgow hallmark for 1919. The quality of the main body of repoussé work is exceptionally good, with the cartouche inserts engraved with such skill."
Much earlier
Interestingly though, Nigel revealed that the main cartouche that states ‘Belle Vue Gardens, Manchester. Championship Challenge Shield for Brass Bands’ appears to have been taken from a much earlier trophy, as the 18 carat gold insert plate is hallmarked for Birmingham 1851 — two years before the first Belle Vue contest took place.
As Nigel added: "It looks like someone did a very good bit of recycling work — and the overall insurance value is now well in the tens of thousands of pounds.
It’s simply a quite magnificent trophy and it has been a real honour to work on it."
It’s made from 18 carat gold and has the Glasgow hallmark for 1919. The quality of the main body of repoussé work is exceptionally good, with the cartouche inserts engraved with such skillJeweller, Nigel Matthews
Permission
The latest restoration was undertaken with the permission of British Open contest promoters Martin and Karyn Mortimer with the cost met by 4Barsrest.
A British Open spokesperson said: "Our thanks go to Anthony Banwell and Iwan Fox of 4Barsrest for their generosity. The Shield has enjoyed a remarkable history and will now have an equally exciting future ahead of it."
4BR Director Anthony Banwell added: "We are delighted to be able to support the British Open Championship in this way."
