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Medals & Decorations

The Ashmolean Museum has a very good collection of British historical medals, dating from the Tudor period to the present day, with particularly high concentrations for the 18th and 19th centuries. Its continental and world holdings are very diverse, with some particularly significant medals of the Italian Renaissance; Germany and the Low Countries in the Renaissance and Baroque age; the papacy; etc. The decorations are mostly British and date from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century.

British historical medal (HCR5584)

Period

Modern

Person

William Wyon

Dating

1848

Obverse

RAFFAELLE / SANZIO / W.W., bust of Raphael, right

Reverse

MANCHESTER SCHOOL OF DESIGN / PRIMROSE MEDAL / FOUNDED 1848 / W. WYON. R.A., three allegorical figures standing, central figure in classical robes, female figure with scroll left, winged male figure with palette and brushes right, candelabrum and objects to left

British historical medal (HCR140361)

Period

Modern

Person

Benjamin Wyon

Dating

1848

Obverse

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY FOUNDED A.D. 1799 / B. WYON F., figure in robes, standing right with arms raised

Reverse

JUBILEE COMMEMORATED + 1848 + / ALL THE / ENDS OF THE / EARTH SHALL SEE / THE SALVATION / OF OUR / GOD / ABBFO- / KOUTA / 1845 / WEST / AFRICA / 1804 / SOUTH / INDIA 1814 / MEDITER / RANEAN / 1815 / NEW / ZEALAND / 1815 / NORTH / INDIA / 1816 / CEYLON / 1818 / WESTERN / INDIA / 1820 / N. W. / AMERICA / 1832 / WEST / INDIES / 1827 / EAST / AFRICA / 1843 / CHINA / 1844, inscriptions within circular and oval tondos, commemorative legends and mission fields

British historical medal (HCR5762)

Period

Modern

Person

Victoria, Green & Co

Dating

1848

Obverse

+ GOD SAVE THE QUEEN + / ROYAL ASSENT 8ₜₕ JUNE 1847 / GREEN & CO LONDON, Queen Victoria, diademed, left

Reverse

EVENINGS AT HOME / TEN HOURS BILL / 1ₛₜ MAY 1848, family group at home, indoors, man reading at table, woman and two children

British historical medal (HCR140367)

Period

Modern

Person

Benjamin Wyon

Dating

1848

Obverse

LORD GEORGE BENTINCK BORN 1802 DIED 1848 / B. WYON SC., bare head of Lord George Bentinck, left

Reverse

BRAVE - EARNEST - / GENEROUS-UNSELFISH- TRUE / HE WON THE CONFIDENCE / & RIVETED THE ATTACHMENT / OF A GREAT PARTY / WHICH HIS PATRIOTISM / HAD INSPIRED WITH COURAGE / & HIS SELF DEVOTION / HAD ANIMATED / WITH ZEAL, inscription

British historical medal (HCR140368)

Period

Modern

Person

Allen & Moore

Dating

1848

Obverse

SALVATOR MUNDI, bust of Christ, left, draped

Reverse

THE PARISH CHURCH OF FRITTENDEN RESTORED AND ENLARGED / OUR FATHER, / WHO ART IN HEAVEN, / HALLOWED BE THY NAME. / THY KINGDOM COME. / THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, / AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. / GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. / AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, / AS WE FORGIVE THEM THAT TRESPASS / AGAINST US. / AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION; / BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL: / FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, / THE POWER, AND THE GLORY, / FOR EVER AND EVER, / AMEN. / REOPENED 25ₜₕ. APRIL / 1848, inscription (Lord's Prayer) within legend

British historical medal (HCR140369)

Period

Modern

Person

William Wyon, Victoria

Dating

1848

Obverse

VICTORIA REGINA / W. WYON. R.A., Queen Victoria, diademed, left

Reverse

TRAFALGAR / W. WYON. R.A., allegorical figure of Britannia seated on a sea-horse, left, holding trident and olive branch, waves below

British historical medal (HCR140370)

Period

Modern

Person

Allen & Moore, J. L. Norton

Dating

1848

Obverse

SALVATOR MUNDI, bust of Christ, facing, right hand raised in benediction

Reverse

ARV SCHEFFER DEL: ALLEN & MOORE FEC: / CHRISTUS CONSOLATOR / J. L. NORTON DIR:, Christ seated at centre, surrounded by supplicants and distressed figures, inscriptions in exergue and on tablet

British historical medal (HCR140371)

Period

Modern

Person

W. J. Taylor

Dating

1848

Obverse

· GORDON MEDAL · / PALMAM QUI MERUIT FERAT, palm tree in landscape above crossed clubs and balls, within oval cartouche

Reverse

W. J. T., wreath of laurel and palm tied with ribbon

British historical medal (HCR140372)

Period

Modern

Person

T. Halliday

Dating

1848

Obverse

MANDARIN HESING OF THE CHINESE JUNK / 希生 / HALLIDAY BIRM., bust of Mandarin Hesing, facing, wearing traditional dress, Chinese characters to left and right

Reverse

THIS REMARKABLE / VESSEL IS A JUNK OF THE / LARGEST CLASS, AND IS THE / FIRST SHIP CONSTRUCTED BY THE / CHINESE WHICH HAS REACHED EUROPE, / OR EVEN ROUNDED THE CAPE / OF GOOD HOPE. / THIS JUNK WAS PURCHASED / AUGUST, 1846, AT CANTON, BY A FEW / ENTERPRISING ENGLISHMEN. / SHE SAILED FROM HONG KONG 6ₜₕ / DECEMBER, 1846, ROUNDED THE / CAPE 31ₛₜ MARCH, 1847, ARRIVED / IN ENGLAND 27ₜₕ MARCH, / 1848, descriptive inscription about the junk's voyage

British historical medal (HCR140373)

Period

Modern

Person

Benjamin Wyon

Dating

1848

Obverse

RANDLE WILBRAHAM ESQUIRE HIGH STEWARD OF CONGLETON + / B. WYON S., coats of arms and insignia, sword and mace below

Reverse

TO / CELEBRATE / THE FIFTIETH / ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ELECTION / TO THE OFFICE / OF HIGH STEWARD / & IN LASTING TOKEN OF THEIR / RESPECT AND VENERATION / THREE FREE SCHOLARSHIPS / AT THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL / WERE FOUNDED / AND THIS MEDAL PRESENTED / TO HIM / BY HIS FRIENDS / OCTOBER 16 / 1848, inscription within oak and laurel wreath

British historical medal (HCR140375)

Period

Modern

Person

L. C. Wyon

Dating

1848

Obverse

HOGARTH, bust of William Hogarth, right

Reverse

HE THROUGH THE EYE CORRECTS THE HEART. / HOGARTH DES. L. WYON SC. / ART-UNION OF LONDON / 1848, three figures, centre standing, one either side exchanging prints, date in exergue

British historical medal (HCR140377)

Period

Modern

Dating

1848

Obverse

THE CHINESE JUNK KEYING / BURDEN 750 TONS, the Chinese junk Keying under sail, left, on waves; inscription in exergue

Reverse

THE FIRST / CHINESE VESSEL / EVER BROUGHT TO / EUROPE / LENGTH 160 FEET / BREADTH 33 FEET / DEPTH OF HOLD / 16 FEET / ARRIVED AT ENGLAND / MAR 27 1848, inscription

British historical medal (HCR140379)

Period

Modern

Person

T. Halliday

Dating

1848

Obverse

THE CHINESE JUNK "KEYING" / HALLIDAY. BIRM. / LENGTH 160 Fₜ BREADTH 33 Fₜ / BURDEN 800 TONS / DEPTH OF HOLD 12 FEET., Chinese junk at sea, left, legends around and in exergue

Reverse

British historical medal (HCR140380)

Period

Modern

Dating

1848

Obverse

CHINESE JUNK / KEYING, Chinese junk at sea, left, legend in exergue

Reverse

SAILED FROM HONG KONG 1846 • ARRIVED IN ENGLAND 1848 • / LENGTH 33 FEET / BURDEN 750 TONS / DEPTH 16 FEET, inscription with double-ended ornament, within beaded border

British historical medal (HCR140381)

Period

Modern

Person

L. C. Wyon

Dating

1848

Obverse

L. C. WYON, bare head of William Wordsworth, right

Reverse

FRIEND OF THE WISE AND TEACHER OF THE GOOD. 1848. / WILLIAM / WORDSWORTH, inscription, legend around

British historical medal (HCR140382)

Period

Modern

Person

T. Halliday

Dating

1848

Obverse

CHINESE JUNK KEYING / CAPTAIN KELLETT / EXTREME BREADTH 33 FEET / BURDEN 750 TONS / DEPTH OF HOLD 16 FEET / HALLIDAY BIRM:, Chinese junk Keying, left, under sail, small boats in foreground, legend above and in exergue

Reverse

British historical medal (HCR140383)

Period

Modern

Person

William Wyon, Victoria

Dating

1848

Obverse

VICTORIA REGINA / W. WYON R.A., bust of Queen Victoria, left

Reverse

FROM THE / EAST INDIA COMPANY / TO / LIEUTₜ & BREVₜ MAJOR / H:B: EDWARDES. C:B. / FOR HIS SERVICES / IN THE PUNJAB. / A.D MDCCCXLVIII., two nude deities flank shield with arms and inscription within wreath; child below with snake and lotus