OFFERED BY: Vintage Sports Equipment: division of J. Harris Antiques, Kansas City Missouri
FOUND AT: November 2002 Hillsborough Antique Show, San Mateo, Calif., 
DIMENSIONS: 15 ½” total height, runners 8 ½” 
PRICE TAG: $1,950.00

By 

Carlton Hendricks

This outstanding figural relay trophy was made by Dieges and Clust; who is best known for their medals. If you attend enough antique shows, sports memorabilia shows, and scan the major sports memorabilia auction catalogs, very rarely you may come across an incredible looking, large figural sports trophy. Chances are, it will have been made by Dieges and Clust. Dieges and Clust was the countries premier maker of stock figural trophies from about 1905 to 1930. It appears the company made trophies exclusively for the A.G. Spalding Sporting Goods Company who offered them in their catalogs. To higher end sports collectors, Dieges and Clust is best known for their large impressive figural baseball trophies commonly referred to in the hobby as “Spalding Trophies”. 

The relay trophy featured here is both very nice and very rare; as it is the only example I’ve seen. Though the runners appeared to be bronze, they were cast in white metal and given a bronze colored patina by the maker. The definition and detail was very good. Its black wooden base was worn, but could be refinished; and it was un-presented. Generally I prefer a trophy to have been engraved and awarded, as it lends character as well as providing some background history Nevertheless, both these marks were easily forgiven by the trophy’s rarity and overall quality. 
You would be hard pressed to ever find another track trophy with its striking presence. The 8 ½” tall relay runners portrayed at the baton hand off sat atop a towering 7” tall base, which presented them up to the viewer with a seemingly privileged effect.

I found it at the Hillsborough Antiques Show in San Mateo California.  The trophy’s unassuming location on top of a steamer trunk in the corner of the booth, hardly spoke to its importance. As, worn base, and un-awarded as it was…there stood one of the best track trophies our country ever produced.

It’s always thrilling to happen on something great like this, that I’ve never seen before. As an interesting side note; I told a fellow collector about the piece a day or so after I found it and ….he immediately bought it !