Object Number: AMHT-2025-014-1
Object Type: Trophy
Object Description: Class Winner, RAC International Tourist Trophy, 1931
Channelling my inner magpie, something shiny has caught my eye for this month’s Object in Focus. It is a rather lovely trophy from 1931. Standing around 51cm tall and 32cm in diameter, it is the Class F Winner trophy, from the Royal Automobile Club (R.A.C.) International Tourist Trophy Race, held at Ards Circuit, Belfast. The class winning driver was Major C.M. Harvey ‘on an Aston Martin Car’.
From our archive records, we know that the Aston Martin car in question was LM5, entered as part of the three car Aston Martin Works team of LM5, LM6 and LM7. Charles Maurice Harvey was Aston Martin’s Sales Director and had joined the list of Works’ team drivers. In this particular race, he finished 14th overall, but 1st for cars in Class F.
The trophy is presented on a circular wooden plinth, stained black. The smooth tapered base leads up to a ring with an overlaid rectangle design around it. Above this is a larger flat ring, with a plait pattern around the edge. From here, three rather scantily-clad winged ladies are balanced with their toes on the edge, and their wings on the under side of the trophy bowl. On closer inspection, it is hard to say whether there would originally have been four winged beings, and one has flown away, or if three were always the intention. One of the three certainly has had a historic repair, and is now positioned further away from the rim of the ring, as though leaping into the unknown.
Around the top edge of the bowl, a repeating pattern of five cars are engraved, driving in a clockwise direction. They are obviously captured mid-race as you can see the exhaust fumes from the rear of the cars. A removable lid with the beautifully engraved race details and a finial on top, completes the overall trophy.
It is made of sterling silver, and the hallmarks indicate the Lion Passant of English silver, the Leopard’s Head as the London mark and the ‘q’ date stamp of 1931-32. The makers mark ‘C B & S’ is from Charles Boyton & Son Ltd, Upper Charles Street, London.
The trophy was passed to Lance Prideaux-Brune, a major investor in Aston Martin during financial trouble in the early 1930s, and supporter of their racing endeavours. Interestingly, LM5 then became Lance’s personal car after its success in 1931 and it continued to be raced by different drivers.
