A rare and unusual 19th century Australian football trophy, in the form of a Victorian silver two-handled trophy cup and cover by Frederick Ellington,

A rare and unusual 19th century Australian football trophy, in the form of a Victorian silver two-handled trophy cup and cover by Frederick Ellington, Birmingham 1885, of tapering shape, with pierced handles and floral cartouches, inscribed to one side THE STEWART FOOTBALL TROPHY, the other side inscribed PRESENTED BY JAMES STEWART & CO. ROCKHAMPTON, WON BY SCOTTISH RIFLES FOOTBALL CLUB 1887, MOUNT MORGAN 1888, MOUNT MORGAN 1889, the cover with similar decoration, the finial modelled as a footballer, height 53.5cm., 21in.; together with an engraved plaque presumably removed from the trophy plinth, inscribed WON BY MOUNT MORGAN, 1899, PRESENTED TO J.WESLEY HALL, ESQ., PRESIDENT (2) James Stewart who provided this trophy was a prominent businessman from Rockhampton in central Queensland, Australia, who ran a wholesaling and retailing business which he grew from a one room operation into a national brand with several branches of his stores. At the John Oxley Library, the State Library of Queensland, there is a team-group photograph in their archive titled Mount Morgan Football Club, Winners of the Stewart Trophy, 1888-89 season. The other winners engraved on the trophy are presumably the [Queensland] Scottish Rifles regiment. From the separate engraved plaque it is evident that Mount Morgan FC won the Stewart Trophy for a third time in succession in 1890. In the tradition of challenge trophies, it would appear that Mr James Stewart then presented the cup for the club to keep.