American Silver Presentation Loving Cup
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An enchanting Art Nouveau design informs this important silver loving cup
Key Features
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- This highly important silver loving cup was presented to Jewish philanthropist Jacob H. Schiff
- This beautifully crafted cup exhibits an outstanding Art Nouveau design and intricate engraving
- The cup is stamped "Sterling" on base and is numbered "3154."
- Circa 1900
- 12 1/2" high
Item Details
- Height:
12 1/2 Inches - Period:
20th Century - Origin:
America
A significant piece of American silver, this loving cup was presented to famed Jewish philanthropist Jacob H. Schiff for his contribution to the rebuilding of the New York YMHA (Young Men's Hebrew Association), to which he provided $230,000 (the equivalent of over $5 million today) for the construction and furnishing of the new complex on 92nd Street in Manhattan. The cup exhibits the asymmetrical, free-flowing characteristics of the Art Nouveau style and features elaborate engraving on all sides. In terms of construction and quality, this loving cup is a fine example of American silver truly fit for such a generous and compassionate individual.
The engraving on the cup features a rendering of the YMHA building and the inscription "Presented to JACOB H. SCHIFF by the Board of Directors of The Young Men's Hebrew Association, New York, May 6th, 1900/In Grateful Acknowledgment and to Commemorate his Generous Gift to the Association of its Home at 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue."
The cup is stamped "Sterling" on base and is numbered "3154."
Circa 1900
12 1/2" high
Jacob H. Schiff was a born in Germany to a distinguished rabbinical family. He immigrated to the United States in 1865, where he began a career as a banker in New York City. In 1875 he married Theresa Loeb, the daughter of Solomon Loeb, head of the banking firm Kuhn, Loeb and Company. Schiff joined his father-in-law's firm and quickly moved through the ranks and was named head of the firm in 1885. Devoted to Jewish philanthropic causes, Schiff used his resources and connections to help establish the Jewish Division of the New York Public Library, the American Jewish Committee, the Hebrew Union College and the Jewish Theological Seminary. In addition to Judaic philanthropies, Schiff also contributed funds to American causes such as the Boy Scouts of America, the American Red Cross, and the Tuskegee Institute, as well as financing the 1897 reorganization of the bankrupt Union Pacific Railroad. Schiff's most famed financial action occurred in 1904-1905 during the Russo-Japanese War. Through Kuhn, Loeb and Company, Schiff extended $200 million in loans to Japan, which enabled Japan to win the war. He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun of Japan by Emperor Meiji, and became the first foreigner to receive the esteemed honor. During World War I Schiff issued loans to European nations for humanitarian purposes. Fearing for the lives of both Germans and Americans, he used his influence to urge President Woodrow Wilson to end the war as quickly as possible, even without an Allied victory. Schiff died of illness on September 25, 1920 in New York City.
The engraving on the cup features a rendering of the YMHA building and the inscription "Presented to JACOB H. SCHIFF by the Board of Directors of The Young Men's Hebrew Association, New York, May 6th, 1900/In Grateful Acknowledgment and to Commemorate his Generous Gift to the Association of its Home at 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue."
The cup is stamped "Sterling" on base and is numbered "3154."
Circa 1900
12 1/2" high
Jacob H. Schiff was a born in Germany to a distinguished rabbinical family. He immigrated to the United States in 1865, where he began a career as a banker in New York City. In 1875 he married Theresa Loeb, the daughter of Solomon Loeb, head of the banking firm Kuhn, Loeb and Company. Schiff joined his father-in-law's firm and quickly moved through the ranks and was named head of the firm in 1885. Devoted to Jewish philanthropic causes, Schiff used his resources and connections to help establish the Jewish Division of the New York Public Library, the American Jewish Committee, the Hebrew Union College and the Jewish Theological Seminary. In addition to Judaic philanthropies, Schiff also contributed funds to American causes such as the Boy Scouts of America, the American Red Cross, and the Tuskegee Institute, as well as financing the 1897 reorganization of the bankrupt Union Pacific Railroad. Schiff's most famed financial action occurred in 1904-1905 during the Russo-Japanese War. Through Kuhn, Loeb and Company, Schiff extended $200 million in loans to Japan, which enabled Japan to win the war. He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun of Japan by Emperor Meiji, and became the first foreigner to receive the esteemed honor. During World War I Schiff issued loans to European nations for humanitarian purposes. Fearing for the lives of both Germans and Americans, he used his influence to urge President Woodrow Wilson to end the war as quickly as possible, even without an Allied victory. Schiff died of illness on September 25, 1920 in New York City.
