Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a tremendous silver trophy goblet gifted to Captain Thomas Robertson, the captain of the Cirencester from 1797 until 1805. The Cirencester an East Indiaman built for the British East India Company (EIC) in 1795. She was sold in 1813 for a hulk. The back of the goblet bears five still-legible silver hallmarks, the fourth of which dates the piece to 1794. This piece was likely gifted to Robertson at the end of his time as Captain, in 1805.

There are records of the trips taken by Cirencester, of which Robertson was Captain of four:

2nd EIC voyage (1797–1798): Captain Thomas Robertson acquired a letter of marque on 28 March 1797. On 5 June he sailed from Portsmouth, bound for China. Cirencester arrived at Whampoa on 17 December. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 14 February 1798, reached St Helena on 5 August, and arrived at Long Reach on 23 October.

3rd EIC voyage (1800–1801): Captain Robertson sailed from Portsmouth on 7 January 1800, bound for Bombay and China. Cirencester reached Joanna on 3 May and arrived at Bombay on 26 May. She then sailed on, reaching Malacca on 21 September and arrived at Whampoa on 5 November. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 29 December, reached St Helena on 15 April 1801, and arrived Long Reach on 17 June.

4th EIC voyage (1802–1803): Captain Robertson sailed from Portsmouth on 25 February 1802, bound for Madras and China. Cirencester reached Madras on 15 June, Penang on 1 August, and Malacca on 25 August; she arrived at Whampoa on 17 September. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 22 November, reached St Helena on 23 February 1803, and arrived at Long Reach on 26 April.

5th EIC voyage (1804–1805): Captain Thomas Robertson acquired a letter of marque on 22 December 1803. He sailed from Portsmouth on 13 February 1804, bound for Bombay, Madras, and China. Cirencester reached Bombay on 26 May, Madras on 19 August, and Malacca on 13 September; she arrived at Whampoa on 18 October. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 16 December and reached Penang on 21 January 1805. At Penang she took on board as a passenger Captain Peter Heywood of the Royal Navy, who had surrendered his command of HMS Dedaigneuse for reasons of ill-health and family issues. Cirencester reached St Helena on 2 April and arrived at Northfleet on 15 September.

The silver trophy goblet measures roughly 6” tall with its arms bearing an 8” span, with the base having a 3¼” diameter. The front is engraved with a stylized R for Robertson, with a wreathed engraving below:

The Gift
Of the Owners
Of the Ship
Cirencester
East Indiaman
To Captn Thomas
Robertson

The back of the goblet bears five still-legible silver hallmarks, the fourth of which dates the piece to 1794. This piece was likely gifted to Robertson at the end of his time as Captain, in 1805. We have found some mention of Robertson in newspapers, making this a really great research project. This is a truly stupendous piece, one of a kind. Don’t miss out!