With a gleaming presence and a provenance that is rich in history and the enduring spirit of sport, entrepreneurship and canny advertising, we are so pleased to offer this Antique English Silverplate Sunlight Soap Trophy. Beautiful hand-applied botanical details surround inscriptions on both sides of the handsome cup, which rests gracefully upon a stem incorporating a variety of silver techniques producing a lovely effect reminiscent of fine turned wood.

Made as part of a series by premier Sheffield cutler and silversmith J. H. Potter for the Lever Bros., producers of Sunlight Soap, and presented by the company in 1895 as a significant and lasting souvenir to the winner of a local race, this charming trophy is engraved with the following:

In a collaboration that seems a true meeting of the minds, J.H. Potter partnered with Lever Bros. (among other makers of household products) to supply his firm's silver wares as prizes for brand-sponsored competitions. Other specialties of the company included ship and hotel plate with thousands of pieces supplied for passenger liners, including the regal Queen Mary and her sister ship Queen Elizabeth.

Found at a silver market outside of London, this sparkling trophy with its beautiful engraving and historic, storied provenance, is certain to bring its winning nature to your collection.

Strictly one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. 6.25"H x 3" in diameter. In very good antique condition. 

Learn More About The Sunlight Soap Company

William Lever 'The King of Sunlight', co-founded Sunlight Soap Company in 1885 with his industrious brother James. The single product focused business evolved into the more prolific Lever Brothers, later becoming UNILEVER, the first modern multi-national company.

Building their empire from a humble grocery trade, the brothers made their first fortune through pioneering the sale of attractively packaged laundry soap in small parcels, a grand departure from the large, cumbersome blocks of the time which required cutting to size and wrapping at the point of purchase. Investing in a new type of soap formula which eschewed tallow created from animal fats in favor of glycerin and vegetable oils, they manufactured and marketed what became world's first individually packaged household soap sold in bars.

Quick to adopt modern business practices and grow with the times, Lever embraced late 19th century American-style advertising techniques to promote their branded soap through promotional consumer campaigns and contests, offering tokens to collect and redeem for prizes. In addition, community-based sponsorship of sporting events and philanthropic efforts spread the reach of the Sunlight brand far and wide. In a truly prescient move, Lever also employed brand ambassadors known as 'District Agents' to engage with the public, touting the the merits of the company's products, as well as serving as undercover agents to report anything observed that could be useful to the home office.