The £25,000 hip flask owned by winner of the first TT, Rem Fowler, has been bought by Manx National Heritage at auction at Bonhams in Manchester.

Matthew Richardson, curator for social history at MNH, said: ’Memorabilia from the first TT race is extremely rare. There were no individual trophies, no medals awarded and no specialist racing equipment. Apart from the St Mars Trophy, which is still awarded for the Senior TT, this engraved flask is the only known piece of material culture.’

funded

The purchase was funded by MNH’s charitable funds and MNH hopes it will be on display in time for next year’s TT.

Edmund Southworth, director of Manx National Heritage, said: ’In the last few years we have accelerated our programme of collecting to make sure that key races, riders and events of the TT are represented.

’The sale of the hip flask generated a great deal of interest among collectors in America so we were worried that it might leave the British Isles and the public might never see it again.

’Trustees were therefore prepared to use their reserve funds to secure it for the nation and bring it back to the island. I am very pleased and indeed proud that we have succeeded.’

Rem Fowler won the 1907 twin cylinder TT race on a Peugeot engine Norton, while a Matchless, ridden by its manufacturer Charlie Collier, won the single cylinder race.