Antique Fire House, Firemen Trophy, Rahway, NJ, 1893

A true work of art, the trophy was awarded to the men of "Protection Hose Company, No. 3" of Rahway, NJ, during an event and parade in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Please see details below documenting and describing this historical day in 1893.

Physical Description: Large, heavily decorated and inscribed, hard white metal, triple plate, porcelain-lined "pitcher" on a stand with a "goblet" placed on its own attached pedestal extending 2.5" from the pitcher. The side of the pitcher contains beautiful script etched into the metal with the following words:

Protection Hose Co, No. 3 of Rahway, NJ at Elizabeth, NJ Oct. 5 '93 for having the finest equipped company in line. Joseph Brown, Chief Engineer, E.F.D.

There is a "stand with handle" with which the entire trophy could be carried. Also, there is a small removable tray which fits into the bottom of the stand, and it is etched with a bird sitting in a tree. The entire trophy is highly decorated with 19th century swirls and flourishes etched into the metal.

Pitcher: 11" tall; 11" at widest point; 5" diameter at base. Weight, 5lb 2.5oz. Cup: 4"tall, 2"diameter at base. Weight: 8.4oz. Handle attached to stand with tray: 9" tall, 6.5" diameter at base. 3.7 lb. Bottom of pitcher: Rogers & Bros. Triple Plate. 512 (?) Hard White Metal.

Condition: The trophy is in very good overall condition. There is a minor dent in the metal on one side of the body of the pitcher. Also, it is unable to be carried with the "handle" due to the handle having broken off from where it was attached to the side. The trophy with handle can be displayed as pictured; however, it could not be picked up by the handle.

Documentation of origin: *From: HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY p357 Cornell University Library F 142U5 R54

History of Union County, New Jersey Protection Hose Company, No. 3, is really a successor to Eagle Hose Company, which was organized in 1856. It was afterwards changed to Warren Hose Company, which became defunct, and was finally organized. May 29, 1883, as Protection. The company won the prize — a handsome silver pitcher and goblet — for being the best equipped and appearing company in the Elizabeth parade, October 2, 1893.

(The date on the trophy is October 5, 1893, not October 2, 1893. It is unclear whether the historian or the artist who inscribed the date was off by 3 days)

Item ID: 02-1312