This exceptional silver-plated loving cup was crafted by the Wilcox Silver Plate Company and is stamped on the bottom with “6005” and “Special.” The front of the cup is engraved:

“The Country Club, 1899, The Thomas Challenge Cup (memento), Won by J.G. Thorp.”

The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, holds a special place in American golf history. Founded in 1882, it added its golf course in 1893 and became one of five charter clubs to establish the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 1894. The club gained international fame in 1913 when Francis Ouimet won the U.S. Open in a stunning victory. By then, The Country Club had already hosted three national championships.

This loving cup predates all those significant events. In 1899, six years before Ouimet began playing golf as a young boy, J.G. Thorp earned this trophy as a memento of his victory in The Thomas Challenge Cup. The engraving on the cup preserves this remarkable moment in early American golf history.

The trophy measures 5 1/2 inches tall and 7 inches across from handle to handle. Its base is marked “Quadruple Plate,” a testament to its fine craftsmanship.

For collectors of early American golf memorabilia, this trophy is a rare find from one of the most historically significant clubs in the sport. With The Country Club hosting 14 major championships and one Ryder Cup over the years, this 1899 trophy is a stunning artifact from the earliest days of competitive golf in the United States.