Summary

Coverage of the 'Distribution of Awards' at the Melbourne International Exhibition (MIE), printed on pages 113-114 in 'The Australian Sketcher' newspaper, published by G N & W H Birks in Adelaide, 16 April 1881.

The front page illustration depicts the awards ceremony, which was held at the (Royal) Exhibition Building on 22 March 1881. The Governor of Victoria, George Augustus Constantine Phipps, 2nd Marquis of Normanby (1819-1890), stands on a raised dais in full uniform with the Marchioness of Normanby seated behind him under a parasol. Sir William Clarke, President of the MIE Commission, is standing at the foot of the stairs leading to the platform reading out the list of Awards. A large crowd is gathered in the background near the Victorian Court. The ceremony, attended by 13,000 commissioners, invited guests, exhibitors and friends, took only half an hour. In his address, Sir William stated that attendance at the Exhibition had reached one million and that the financial results 'had been extremely satisfactory'. The juries awarded 2465 exhibits the First Order of Merit, 2013 the Second Order of Merit, 1651 the Third Order of Merit, and 312 the Fourth Order of Merit.

Physical Description

Page 113 is the front page of the newspaper and has a highly decorative masthead and depicts the word 'Australasian' in an unfurling banner, with side foliate motifs, an artist's palette and brushes, and an ornamented 'Sketcher' with a winged female form emerging from the 'S'. The front page illustration depicts the Awards Ceremony held at the Exhibition Building for the Melbourne International Exhibition on 22 March 1881. The Governor of Victoria (Marquis of Normanby) in full uniform is standing on a platform with the Marchioness of Normanby seated behind him. Sir W J Clarke, President of the Exhibition, is standing below the platform reading out the list of Awards. A large crowd is gathered in the background. The platform is decorated with potted palms for the occasion.

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