A beautiful antique circa 1852 coin silver trophy cup, awarded by the American Institute of the City of New York, hand engraved on the front to read:
Awarded by the
American Institute
At the 25th Annual Fair, Oct 1852
To Joseph Swannell 
For the Best Plowing at Nyack New York 
with a Ruggles Nourse & Mason's #75.5 Plough

In amazing condition for its age, no dents or damage, just a couple shallow surface marks. It has polished up beautifully! No maker’s marks.

Measures approximately 6.25" high by 3” wide across the top. Weighs 5.7ozt

The following description of the American Institute was published in the 1905 New International Encyclopedia:
The institute was founded on February 18, 1828, and its American Institute fairs attracted wide attention from investors and capitalists. Among the inventions which received early recognition from the institute were the McCormick reaper, the sewing machine, Colt's fire-arms, the type revolving and double power printing press machines, the first anthracite coal burning stove, the Morse telegraph, the Beach Pneumatic Transit, the stocking loom, the telephone, and the Francis metallic lifeboat and lifesaving appliances. In the early 20th century, the American Institute was organized as five sections: The Farmers' Club, the Henry Electrical Society, the Horticultural Section, the Photographic Section, and the Polytechnic Section. It had a scientific library of over 15,000 volumes

You can read more about the institute here: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Institute_of_the_City_of_New_York