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The History of Trophies: The Industrial Revolution

The casting of iron in blocks. By Herman Heijenbrock, 1890.

The Industrial Revolution, spanning from the late 18th century to the early 19th century, was a period of profound transformation. It marked a shift from hand production methods to machines, the increased use of steam power and water power, and much-improved transportation links. 

But the era didn’t just revolutionise industries; it also had a significant impact on societal norms, including the way people in Georgian, and later Victorian, Britain perceived and rewarded achievements. One of the fascinating byproducts of this era was the evolution of trophies and awards. 

Prior to the Industrial Revolution, awards were most often given in the form of a monetary or otherwise valuable prize, rather than specially-made trophies or awards. Personalised trophies were hard to make and looked nothing like the engraved awards we picture today – in Ancient Greece, winners would sometimes be commemorated with an illustration of them painted meticulously onto a vase.

So, let’s explore exactly how and when awards went from golden necklaces and silver arrows to laser-engraved crystal trophies!

The Evolution of Award Materials

Before the Industrial Revolution, trophies were primarily made from precious materials and required extensive manual labour. Precious metals like gold and silver were commonly used for high-status trophies, often intricately engraved and handcrafted.

The advent of the Industrial Revolution brought significant changes to the materials and methods used in trophy production. The development of iron and steel production techniques such as the Bessemer process – the first method for mass producing steel – made these materials more accessible and affordable. Later, gold and silver would be used in the process of electroplating, which allowed cheaper metals like iron and aluminium to be coated with a thin layer of the precious metal. This would make gold and silver trophies far more affordable than they ever were as solid trophies. 

Advances in glassmaking led to the use of glass and crystal for decorative trophies, combining beauty with new levels of precision and uniformity. Glass has always been found in nature, with humans thought to have first created glass more than 4000 years ago. But until the mechanical press was invented in the 1820s, glass production was difficult and expensive. Over the next few decades, glass became commonplace in people’s homes, but it wasn’t until the mid-20th century when the practice of awarding glass trophies and plaques to recognise achievements grew alongside corporate culture. 

The manufacturing of plate glass in Britain began in 1773.

The Birth of Mass Production

Mass production had a profound impact on many aspects of society, including awards and competitions. By revolutionising the way trophies and awards were made, mass production made these symbols of achievement more accessible, affordable, and varied. Previously, handcrafted trophies were expensive and time-consuming to produce, limiting their availability to elite competitions or the wealthy. Mass production made it possible to create high-quality awards at a fraction of the cost. With reduced costs, trophies and awards could be distributed more widely. This meant that smaller, local competitions and schools could afford to provide trophies for achievements – they were no longer reserved just for just large, national events.

As trophies became more affordable and accessible, the number of organised competitions grew. Sports, academic, corporate, and community competitions all flourished. Later, in the 20th century, businesses began to recognise employees’ achievements with awards, leading to the popularity of corporate trophies and plaques that remains today. This practice not only boosted morale but also encouraged productivity and innovation.

The Rise of Free Time

A game of cricket with Lord Morpeth and Lord John Russell as the two batsmen. By John Doyle, 1840.

As well as lowering the cost of making awards, mass production totally revolutionised life as we knew it. It created job opportunities in factories, freeing individuals from the constraints of agricultural labour and providing them with steady incomes. With more affordable goods available and fewer hours spent on manual labour, people had more free time to pursue leisure activities and hobbies, including sports like tennis, golf, baseball, and sailing. These sports had been around for a long time, but became more widespread and organised after the industrial revolution. 

As the sports became more popular, so too did the practice of awarding trophies to the winners.

Examples of Awards in the Industrial Revolution

Image Credit: The Royal Musselburgh Golf Club

The Old Club Cup

The Old Club Cup dates back to at least 1774, and is the oldest trophy still competitively played for in the world. The silver cup is engraved with the winner’s names back to 1774, the first of which was Thomas McMillan. Each winner of the cup becomes Captain of the Club for a year, and attaches a round of gold or silver to it. 

Image Credit: Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The America’s Cup

The America’s Cup is a sailing competition with the cup itself first awarded in 1851 in the UK – not in the US as you may think. The intricate sterling silver cup was named after its first recipients, a group of wealthy Americans. This is the oldest international competition still operating in sailing.

Image Credit: Wikipedia, Isaac Freeman, via Wikimedia Commons

The Scottish Cup

The Scottish Cup is the oldest national football trophy in the world, having been first contested in 1873. It’s still contested today, and is one of the highlights of the Scottish football season. The trophy is two feet tall and made out of silver.

Image Credit: Wikipedia, Benjami Villoslada i Gil, via Wikimedia Commons

Wimbledon Trophies

Pictured here is the Venus Rosewater Dish (right), which has been used as the Ladies’ Singles trophy since 1886. On the left is the Gentlemen’s Singles cup, awarded since 1887. Both are made from gilded silver. 

The Legacy of the Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution’s legacy, particularly through mass production and increased leisure time, has significantly shaped the prevalence and nature of awards and trophies today. 

Mass production made trophies more affordable and diverse, allowing for standardised and intricate designs, whilst increased leisure time led to the proliferation of organised sports, academic competitions, and entertainment industries, all of which fostered a growing demand for awards – some of which are still held and awarded even today. Technological advancements, first set in motion with the discovery of electricity, have continued to a point where we can now effortlessly engrave any personalisations into optically-flawless, laser-cut crystal shapes.

These developments have established trophies as universal symbols of achievement and prestige, motivating excellence across various fields and cultures worldwide. But not only that: it’s made them accessible for everyone.

Personalised Awards In The 21st Century

As the UK’s leading manufacturer of 3D crystal, our two decades worth of experience in creating crystal awards and trophies allows us to achieve unbeatable quality by using state-of-the-art 3D laser engraving to adorn each trophy with the name of the recipient. 

Our huge range of crystal awards, trophies and gifts includes a wide variety of designs to suit all budgets, tastes and occasions from corporate awards to academic accolades. Let us know what you need and when you need it, and we’ll do the rest. We ship worldwide and offer a same-day courier service for UK orders. Every award will be supplied in a high-quality, satin-lined presentation gift box.

Browse our range of crystal awards or contact the Laser Crystal team for further information, to receive a quote or if you’d like a sample. Alternatively, pop us a call on 01202 675000 and we’ll be happy to chat to you about your project!

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