1912-1916 Berrien County Country Club Men's Handicap Sterling Silver Goat Trophy
We have a unique trophy from the early days of golf in the Benton Harbor area of Michigan.
This elaborately engraved 9 x 7” trophy was first awarded in 1912 as the 54 hole men’s handicap trophy.
What makes this trophy truly unique and collectible is the large goat skillfully engraved to the rear of the trophy.
We believe thus it possibly represents an early trophy form of the “Get your goat” medal game.
Goat tournaments started in the 1910’s and were held at clubs with the purpose of getting members to play with different members over the course of a year. If you won your match against a fellow member, you got his goat token or medal. At the end of the year the person with the most medals or goats was the yearly tournament winner.
The engraving on the trophy is “ Berrien County Country Club, 1912, Men’s handicap trophy, 54 holes, won by, GK Pixley 1912.”
This was apparently also a carryforward trophy as it is further engraved with the trophy winners of 1915 and 1916.
Markings on the bottom of the trophy include “925/1000 Spaulding & Co” . And “Sterling”
In addition to its appeal as any early Michigan golf trophy, The trophy has high intrinsic silver content weighing an impressive 362 grams. The base is not weighted.
This trophy would make an excellent complement to a goat medal collection but also displays beautifully on its own.
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