Summary

This Bronze prize medal was awarded to Mrs J.V. (Annie) Flatow at the 1888 Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition. Mrs Flatow won several prizes at the Exhibition, including First Order of Merit in the Fisheries Court for her "Shells, turtle shells, etc", (listed in the Reports and Awards of Juries p.765); Second Order of Merit for her "Shells, etc" in the Natural History category, jury section 3 (Awards of the Executive Commissioners, Official Record, p.1050); Second Order of Merit for her "large collection of dried specimens of ferns" in the "Horticulture, Floriculture, etc", category, jury section 29 (Awards of the Executive Commissioners, p.1061). Mrs Flatow also displayed "Mounted ferns, everlasting flowers, grasses, etc", in the Victorian Ladies Court (listed in the Reports and Awards of Juries, p.637).

The 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, MRS. J.V. FLATLOW

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