A Rattray & Co. Scottish Gold Presentation Bowl, circa 1931, inscribed with the coat of arms of the 14th Earl of Strathmore, and the house’s motto, IN TE DOMINE SPERAVI, is expected to bring $50,000+ as the top lot of Heritage Auctions’ Dec. 7 Silver & Vertu Signature® Auction, taking place Dec. 7 at Heritage’s Dallas Design District location, 1518 Slocum Street.

“This gorgeous bowl was presented to the Earl and Countess of Strathmore on Sept. 30, 1931, by a deputation of the city of Dundee in honor of their Golden Wedding Anniversary at their home, Glamis Castle,” said Tim Rigdon, Director of Silver, Decorative Arts & Design at Heritage. “The Earl and Countess were parents to Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Queen Consort to George VI of England and Queen Mother to Elizabeth II, so this is not only a beautiful piece, but also one with historical importance.”

Another “royal” highlight of the auction comes via The Sport of Kings, horseracing, in the form of a Shreve & Co. 14K Gold Santa Anita Racing Trophy, presented to the legendary sprint horse Bric a Bac after his dramatic win in the 1945 San Juan Capistrano Handicap, the first race run at the famed racetrack after World War II. It’s expected to bring $30,000+ when it comes across the block.

“Bric a Bac was one of the great race horses in the history of the sport, tracing his blood line through his sire, the renowned War Admiral to his grandsire, Man-O-War, considered by many to be the greatest horse to ever run,” said Karen Rigdon, Consignment Director for Silver & Vertu at Heritage. “After winning the San Juan Capistrano Handicap and another $60,000 in winnings earlier that year, Bric a Bac was sold by his owner, Sam Freeman, for $50,000, the highest price at that time ever paid for a race horse in California. Freeman went on to make more than $1,000,000 during his entire career as a race horse owner, an immense amount for the time.”

The race, The 1945 San Juan Capistrano Handicap, was a classic of the sport, with Bric a Bac as a 25-1 longshot. Wing and Wing, expected to win, led most of the race, including the final turn and up until 50 yards from the finish. Bric a Bac, ridden by jockey Conn N. McCreary – a renowned tactician in the saddle and one of the greatest riders to ever don the racing silks – maneuvered in a furious finishing rally to take the tape by a half-length.

A highly important and rare Gorham Silver and Iron Match Safe, produced by Gorham Manufacturing Co., Providence, RI, 1883, continues the sale of an important collection of match safes from a private collection, which has had collectors buzzing for the last several months. This piece is an example of the Banko Ware match safe, introduced in 1883, applied with a Japanese inspired silver stork taking flight from floral motif surrounded by iron body and hinged lid. It is estimated at $20,000+.

A pair of Buccellati Silver Figural Candlesticks, manufactured in Buccellati, Milan, Italy, circa 1970, are expected to bring $22,000+, while a 185 piece Gorham Silver Flatware service with case, circa 1885, carries a pre-auction estimate of $15,000+.

Seventeen Tiffany & Co Circus figures will be presented in the Dec. 7 auction. One of these interesting and whimsical pieces is a five-piece Tiffany & Co. Silver and Enamel Circus Strong Man Tower Designed by Gene Moore, made in Italy for Tiffany & Co., New York, New York, circa 1990, which is expected to bring $4,000+.

Further highlights include, but certainly are not limited to:

A Pair of Buccellati Silver Three-Light Candelabra: Estimate: $12,000+.

A Highly Important Tiffany Silver and Copper Mokume Gane Match Safe, Tiffany & Co., New York, New York, circa 1890: Estimate: $8,000+.

A Combined Tiffany and William IV Five-Piece Silver and Silver Gilt Tea Service, Tiffany & Co., New York, New York, circa 1834 and 1876: Estimate: $8,000+.

A Gorham Silver and Mixed Metal Tea Caddy, Gorham Manufacturing Co., Providence, Rhode Island, 1880: Estimate: $4,000+.