Summary

Australia Victoria Melbourne
Senior 4 oared prize medal 1868 (AD)
Melbourne Regatta
Mint: W.J.Taylor, London
Awarded to: Edwards, S.
Other Details: This is a silver medal made in London for the Melbourne Regatta of 1868. It names S. Edwards as the coxswain in the Senior Four Oared Race. The medal features a classical representation of a River God, in this case to be understood as the Yarra, resting on an amphora from which the river begins to flow. The god holds an oar, representing rowing. The maker's name W.J.TAYLOR LONDON can be seen in small letters below the river. William Joseph Taylor, a London medallist and dealer, had tried to set up a mint in Melbourne in the early 1850s and retained links to the city. Other winners at the Melbourne Regatta received more generous prizes. At the 1862 Melbourne Regatta an engraved silver cup by one of Australia's finest early silversmiths, William Edwards, was awarded to the stroke, J.W. McCutcheon, for the Challenge Four Oared Outrigger Race.

Obverse Description

River god reclining right holding oar and amphora from which the river runs; in exergue in small letters, W.J.TAYLOR LONDON

Reverse Description

Engraved:MELBOURNE REGATTA/UPPER YARRA/1868/SENIOR 4 OARED/CIC RACE/ S.EDWARDS/COXSWAIN/W.J.TAYLOR LONDON

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

Other winners received more generous prizes. At the 1862 Melbourne Regatta an engraved silver cup by one of Australia's finest early silversmiths, William Edwards, was awarded to the stroke, J.W. McCutcheon, for the Challenge Four Oared Outrigger Race. The cup was advertised for sale for $6,500 by fine art dealer Peter R. Walker in 2004 (http://www.peterwalker.com.au/items.html). -D. Tout-Smith 9/1/2004.

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