Rare Antique Early 19th Century Folk Art Engraved Horn Beaker Relating To The ‘Salisbury Lion Attack’ In 1816
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A Rare Antique Early 19th Century Folk Art Engraved Horn Beaker Relating To The ‘Salisbury Lion Attack’ In 1816. Wonderful Imagery And A Fantastic Story!
On a dark October evening in 1816, the London bound Exeter Mail coach pulled into the Winterslow Hut inn, a lonely stop on Salisbury Plain. The passengers had barely settled when chaos erupted: one of the lead horses screamed and reared as a powerful creature lunged from the shadows.
It was no highwayman or wolf, but a lion, escaped from a travelling menagerie bound for Salisbury Fair. In seconds, it had sunk its claws and teeth into the finest horse in the team, throwing the coach into turmoil. Passengers bolted for the inn, barricading themselves upstairs, while the driver and guard tried desperately to keep the frantic horses from overturning the coach.
A brave mastiff rushed to the rescue, attacking the lion head-on. The struggle was fierce but brief: the dog was killed, buying precious moments for the horse to stagger free. Pursued by its keepers, the lion eventually took refuge under a granary, where it was barricaded in and secured.
The scene left a deep impression. The wounded horse was purchased by the menagerie owner and later exhibited alongside its attacker, turning the disaster into a lucrative spectacle. Meanwhile, the Exeter Mail carried on its route, delayed little more than three quarters of an hour.
The incident was widely reported in newspapers, immortalised in prints and paintings, and retold as one of the most extraordinary mishaps of the coaching era. To this day, the “Salisbury Lion Attack” is remembered as a surreal moment when the wild world collided with the ordered rhythm of Georgian England.
Condition is good, commensurate with age and use. Structurally sound.
Measures 9.5cm x 7cm
Weighs 54.14 grams