A gift from The Goldfield Consolidated Mines Company.
This amazing “Loving Cup” was specially commissioned for John H. Mackenzie, a well liked and loyal manager of the Goldfield Consolidated Mines Company. Mackenzie was respected not only by the companies owners, but by the men that were employed under him. In 1910, Mackenzie wanted to go into the services, so he made it known that he was going. The owners of the company had the premiere silver and Gold Smiths at Shreve in San Francisco to estimate how much Gold they needed to make a Loving cup as a gift for the great years of professional service that he gave. Shreve said that the cup would need 75 ounces of Gold to make, Nixon & Wingfield used the Gold from the Mohawk, Red Top, Jumbo and Combination Mines. They also had their Consolidated Mill smelt the Gold down to a high purity. The result is this original photograph from 1910 showing the Loving cup. It would have a todays value of over $115,000 in melt value alone!!
No one knows where the cup is now, it could have been melted down during the hard times of the Depression era of 1929-1934.
The front of the trophy reads:
John H Mackenzie
From the Directors of the
Goldfield Consolidated Mines Company
in Testimony
of their Regard and Affection
and in Recognition of his Efforts
In Behalf of
The Worlds Greatest Gold Mine
From Whose Product This Trophy is Made
January 1st 1910
The finished cup weighed 36.5 troy ounces of 18 karat gold and a mahogany pedestal was made for it to rest on. The reverse featured a hand drawing of all the building surrounding the mine shafts, tunnels, and levels of the mine. It resembled the image below of the site which showed up on a postcard in 1912 but more of a direct angle.
What a remarkable treat!
Reference: https://www.mindat.org/gl/64207