A unique and important silver-gilt prize-fighters belt…

A unique and important silver-gilt prize-fighters belt presented to the champion boxer James ( Jem) Mace. Australian, late 19th century. the central section cast in relief with the figure of a pugilist, flanked by ribbon bound. columns within further hinged panels with the Royal and the Australian Arms, with ribbon inscribed: Presented to ( James Mace) Champion of the World, by his Australian Friends and Admirers, with bullion thread embroidered velvet extensions, further embellished within bossed gilt-metal leaves, the back of the buckle with marks '18' within a shield device. in a leather-bound presentation case with brass handle. the central part of the ribbon cresting inscribed James Mace, now missing, sold together with photographic evidence showing the ribbon cresting previously attached. This boxing belt was presented to the bare-knuckle price fighter Les Mace on a tour of Australia circa 1880. Unfortunately, the central section of the upper cartouche which bore his name and a crown is now missing. Jem Mace (1831-1910) began his career as a fighter and earned his nick name The Swaffan Gypsy' as he roamed the Norfolk countryside with his fiddle and dog, giving boxing exhibitions at fairs and markets. He first claimed the title 'Champion of England' when he defeated Sam Hurst in 1861 and claimed a prize fund of 200 pounds. He defended his title against Tom King in a marathon fight that lasted 43 rounds in 1862, but ten months later lost a re-match. In 1866 Mace regained the title against another fighter called Joe Goss. During his celebrated career, as well as travelling to Australia, Mace also fought in South Africa, New Zealand and the United States of America, where he beat the American champion Tom Allen and drew another fight with a boxer called Joe Coburn. The latter fight was stopped due to crowd intervention whilst Mace was ahead. During his tour of Australia, Mace introduced the Queensberry rules (drawn up in 1867) and the use of gloves. He also opened a bowing academy in Sydney in 1877, after which gloved bouts were seen more often in public. On a visit to Melbourne during Mace's tour of Australia, it is reputed that the infamous bushranger Ned Kelly challenged him to a bout, but the fight never look place. Ned Kelly once boasted in a letter that while he had pair of arms and a bunch of fives at the end of them, they never failed to peg out anything they came in contact with. Dick Turpin purchased this belt in the knowledge that his Great Uncle Wolf Bendorf who was a boxer and contemporary of Mace, pursued him on his tours of South Africa and Australia, but there was no record of them ever competing. . Provenance: Christies, London March 2006 lot 873. Private collection South Australia. Dimensions: The belt 105 cm wide overall, the central plaque 14 cm high. The case 112 cm long by 19.5 cm wide