Summary

This Prize Bronze medal from the 1888 Melbourne Centennial Exhibition was awarded to J Pender of Tinning Street, Brunswick, for his exhibit of horse nails in the 'Cutlery, Hardware, Ironmongery, etc' category, Jury Section 11, at the Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition (Official Record, p.1054).

The 1888 Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition, celebrating a century of Australian settlement, surpassed even the grand scale of the1880 Melbourne International Exhibition. It attracted over two million people, but the Victorian government had to spend £250 000 on it, ten times the amount estimated. The exhibition had a distinctively imperial focus, and a greater emphasis on culture than in 1880, particularly on music and painting. A choir of 5000 sang music old and new, and 500,000 people attended symphony concerts. There were over 3000 paintings on display, including works by artists like JMW Turner and C Lutyens. The Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens was lit inside and out by electric lights, claimed to be the largest installation of arc lighting in the world.

Obverse Description

Bust of Queen Victoria facing left wearing crown and veil ; around, CENTENNIAL INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION MELBOURNE

Reverse Description

Around below wreath, MELBOURNE MINT MDCCCLXXXVIII STOKES AND MARTIN SC. within wreath around Southern Cross, ARTIBUS DIGNUS HONOR INSIGNIS

Edge Description

Impressed: J. PENDER

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