A Collection of 1851 Great Exhibition Medals

A COLLECTION OF 1851 GREAT EXHIBITION MEDALS, Prize medal, 1851, by W. and L.C. Wyon, in bronze, similar, edge named (Titus Salt, Class XII), 77mm (BHM 2462; E 1457); together with Monument to sir titus salt erected in bradford, 1874, a silver medal by R. Eagle, bust left, reverse monument, 45mm (BHM 2986) [2]. First about extremely fine but with small reverse edge bruise at 4 o’clock, second brilliant and practically as struck, nicely toned, rare in silver; in red fitted case (£50-70)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of 1851 Great Exhibition Medals.

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2nd only illustrated.

Sir Titus Salt, Bt (1803-76), woollen manufacturer, Bradford, from 1824; inventor of a method of manufacturing alpaca wool, for which he won a prize at the 1851 Exhibition; mayor of Bradford, 1848; president of Bradford Chamber of Commerce, 1856; MP for Bradford 1859-61. Salt, of whom people said he “makes £1,000 before other people are out of bed,” founded the Great Mill at what became the town of Saltaire in 1853, which is where he is buried; at his death he had amassed a fortune equivalent to £40 million at present-day values. Considerable further detail sold with the lot. Of the medallist Eagle, whose only work the 1874 medal appears to be, nothing seems known