These are the only known set of twelve nineteenth-century English stirrup cups. They were originally made for John Hungerford Arkwright from Hampton Court Castle (in Herefordshire – not the Royal one). In the course of a long career in politics, his two passions were foxhunting – he was for many years Master of the North Hereford Hunt – and raising Hereford cattle. Arkwright’s herd was one of the finest in England, and a huge number of American and Australian Herefords are descendants. Of the twelve cups (nine large and three small) nine are engraved with the name of the bull or cow represented (they are all actual portraits), as well as its prizes at various agricultural fairs around England.