Thieves Likely to Melt Down ‘Irreplaceable’ Trophy : 1924 Ascot Gold Cup Stolen From Boston Hotel

BOSTON —  The 2-foot-high solid gold cup awarded to the winner of the 1924 Ascot Cup horse race in England and valued at $88,000 was stolen early today by two men who smashed a display case at the downtown Four Seasons Hotel.

The trophy, made of 98 ounces of 18-karat solid gold, was in a display case along with a number of other one-of-a-kind antiques leased by the hotel from Regent-Bond Ltd., a Boston company associated with Garads Inc. of London, the official crown jewelers for England’s Royal Family.

William Oliver, a spokesman for Regent-Bond, doubted that the cup will be recovered.

“I’m sure (the thieves will) probably melt it down,” Oliver said. “As far as fencing is concerned, it will be easier to melt it down.”

Oliver said the cup is valued at $88,000 but is irreplaceable. He said the trophy was awarded to the winner of the 1924 Ascot Cup, an annual horse race at Ascot Heath, Berkshire, England, a British social event.

Ronan O’Gorman, executive assistant at the hotel, said two men entered the hotel and used a lobby armchair to smash the glass case, which was in a corner of the lobby out of sight of the front desk.