The Gold Cup

[constantmuse]

Last month I finally visited the British Museum for the first time since the British Library moved out to St Pancras. Crossing the forecourt I enjoyed musing on Raffles and Bunny's visit in 'A Jubilee Present' (TV episode 'The Gold Cup').

It’s Raffles’ first visit too, '...since they got the one good portable piece which I believe that they

Comments

[psychedk]

Awww, that is really awesome! I can definitely see why Raffles found it attractive. Thanks for the tale!

[constantmuse]

My pleasure. It's good to have an excuse to post something here.

[makeanewworld]

That is so cool - I too had no idea the cup was a real thing. Pretty cheeky of Hornung to write about it being stolen only shortly after it was first acquired...

I was at the museum a couple of weeks ago, but kept to the Egyptian section. Methinks another trip is in order...(Any excuse!)

Thanks for sharing. :)

[constantmuse]

Pretty cheeky of Hornung I don't see it that way, rather that it's cool to know he was writing about real 1890s current affairs.

Raffles saying, "It's a long time since I read of it - I can't remember where - but I know they have got a gold cup of sorts" sounds just like Hornung's own thought process as he had an idea for the story. I can imagine then he went and had a look at the cup in the BM, read the guidebook, and voila.

I was at the museum a couple of weeks ago you're probably used to it, but I was completely bowled over by the roofed courtyard and how it's transformed the entrance and circulation. Spent as much time gawping there as looking in galleries. I thought 'Enlightenment' in gallery 1 was pretty fabby too.

And finally, I love your icon - that is a delightful scene.

[makeanewworld]

Re: "cheekiness", I mean more in the sense that these people went to a lot of trouble to acquire the cup, and Hornung has it fictitiously stolen away with ease. He definitely had a sense of humour, and 'A Jubilee Present' is one of the more amusing stories, IMO. Also one of my favourites, because of Raffles being mischievous and Bunny being snarky. *g*

Yeah, I really like the glass atrium: it makes the place seem light and airy. I know a lot of people hated it when it was first built, though - apparently Prince Charles called it a "monstrous carbuncle!"

Thanks - yeah, that scene is one of my favourites in the show. :)

[autumnatmidnite]

I had no idea that actually existed, either, and that makes me squee just a bit harder at the story! Hornung certainly was a daring writer, and now I'm in the mood to read more Raffles :) Which is always a good thing, so thank you.

[constantmuse]

My pleasure, and me too.

Curiously the evening before, being out and about in the West End, I was pimping Raffles to my companion, who surprisingly hadn't heard of him, so now we'll both be reading more Raffles.

[chaoticchaos13]

It is tremendously exciting to run across bits from books. It makes the stories seem that much more real! Thanks for sharing!

[constantmuse]

And thank you for commenting. Visiting Raffles' West End haunts is rewarding, indeed.

[altopiano]

How wonderful! It had never occurred to me the cup might be real. Thanks so much for sharing the pic. It really is a beautiful object, and I can see why Raffles coveted it. :)

[constantmuse]

It had never occurred to me the cup might be real. glad it's not just me!

Seeing how beautiful, and rather delicate, it is does add something to the story.