1885 Championships of Scotland Gentlemen’s Doubles Championship Trophy

Few tennis tournaments have the lengthy history of the Scottish Championships. Founded in 1878, this tournament was the oldest in Scotland, running through 1994, for an impressive 116 year run. It is recognized as one of the earliest international events. Winners of the trophy span from a variety of local Scottish players, such as John Galbraith Horn and Lottie Paterson, through the likes of John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova in the late twentieth century. The trophy itself is made by Marshall & Sons, a Scottish silver company in Edinburgh, who made uniquely ornate silver objects. In 1885, the two champions to take home the men’s doubles title were E.W. Lewis and R. M. Watson.

This ornate trophy is one of two in the museum’s collection, joining a similar one from the 1896 Scottish Doubles Championships (created by MacKay, Cunningham & Co. of Edinburgh).