Of baluster form with scroll handle, engraved with a Racehorse with Jockey up!

Approximately 273 grms

The contemporary engraving of the Racehorse with its Jockey wearing ‘Silks’ on this tankard, is, I believe, one of the earliest representations of a Jockey wearing Racing Silks anywhere…. as such is extraordinarily rare.

The Racehorse has it’s tail cut short, as was the fashion of the time. The horse has a Race Number Cover depicted under its saddle, the Jockey is wearing a cap and clothing contemporaneous for the time, the whip is excessively long compared with modern-day whips, but again contemporaneous for its time – mid 18th century.

An ideal reference point would be; George Stubbs Painting of the two time Newmarket 200 guinea winner ‘Molly Long-legs, with her Jockey’ 1761/62 (Walker Art Gallery) which is exactly the time this Tankard was made and assayed.

The Jockey Club was established in 1750… in 1762 the Jockey Club introduced the wearing of Racing Silks (Race Horse Owners’ colours, worn by their Jockey), so that riders could be more easily identified, from a distance, during a race.