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The Elgin MedalBy Geoffrey G. Bell
The
British possessions in America were invited to participate. They consisted
of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
By
September, a supplementary jury was empanelled to adjudicate prizes to
100 pounds provided by Elgin, a proof “of the estimation in which
his Excellency holds the efforts of the Canadian exhibitors.” The
jury was composed of 9 members nominated by the Executive Committee resident
in London selected from the other juries for their knowledge of the various
departments in which they were called to adjudicate. Unknown to Elgin
and Routh, the Jury went about the task at hand and came in with a slate
of winners that did not follow the plan of either 2-50 pound prizes or
even 4 prizes. Lord Cumberland in what appears to attempt to smooth ruffles
feathers says in a letter to Elgin in October “ your Lordship’s
intentions have not been complied with inasmuch that instead of four prizes
of 25 pounds each in the specifies sections of industry, a number of smaller
prizes have been recommended.” Cumberland did try to see if Elgin’s
intent could be accomplished but it seemed impossible as the jury had
gone home and were now scattered. Cumberland also stated the jury did
an
by
Geoffrey Bell
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Various
exhibitions had been held in England, France and elsewhere during the
1700’s and early 1800’s where artists, farmers and manufacturers
demonstrated their finest products and creations. Prince Albert, husband
of Queen Victoria, showed great foresight and vision by suggesting an
exhibition whereby all countries of the world would be invited to send
their best products, produce and works of manufacture to England for a
world exposition in 1851. Many scoffed at the idea and thought the concept
not attainable. Albert persisted, took the whole venture under his wing
and moved full speed ahead. Commissioners were appointed, juries put together,
medals designed as prizes and the monumental Crystal Palace designed and
built. The exhibition soon took on the name, the Crystal Palace Exhibition.
the
Province of Canada, the Bermudas, West Indies, British Guiana and Falkland
Islands. Firstly, we require a short history lesson. Upper Canada or Canada
West, now Ontario and Lower Canada or Canada East, now Quebec, were brought
together as one in 1841 by the Act of Union. This Act was a result of
Lord Durham’s Report that suggested a single parliament, a consolidation
of debt, ban on the use of French in government and several other clauses.
It was to prove very controversial and the harbinger of future troubles.
This political union was to remain the Province of Canada until Confederation
in 1867. In 1847, Lord Elgin was appointed Governor General of the Province
of Canada. He was a brilliant student and excelled as an orator, was a
very cultured humanist and an able administrator. It was Elgin who took
a great interest in the Crystal Palace Exhibition of 1851 and who later
was to offer prizes to the outstanding exhibitors from the Province of
Canada. 
mining
ores and the by-products of these industries. Nor only did individuals
and/or companies compete but there were large displays by the Provincial
Geological Survey and the Central Commission of Montreal. The exhibitors
went through a careful analysis by appointed juries made up of the top
people in their fields of endeavor. The Executive Committee of the World’s
Exposition then awarded Prize Medals to the best of the best. Lord Elgin
wanted to go one step further and proposed prizes of his own for Province
of Canada winners. As early as May of 1851, Elgin wrote to Sir Randolph
Routh stating” a few months ago I caused a letter of which I herewith
enclose a copy to be addressed to the Mayor of Montreal offering a prize
or prizes to the value of one hundred pounds for the best specimen of
Canadian Produce or Industry which should be exhibited on the occasion.”
By
the end of May, 1851, Routh had contacted Professor Playfair, chair of
the Jury Department, to obtain advice on the awarding of the Elgin prizes.
Playfair suggested Elgin wait until the Jurors reached their decisions
around the end of June. The Professor suggested more than the 2 categories
of prizes and assured the Governor General that there would be no favoritism
on behalf of the Commissioners and that their assistance would be made
available in determining the Elgin awards. In Playfair’s words,
“the Commissioners do not interfere in any way with private prizes,
that is from any other source than their own, but I hope we may count
upon their cooperation in rendering every assistance to your Lordship’s
intentions.” Playfair also in a subtle way suggested that the Crystal
Palace organizers were offering bronze medals as prizes.
excellent
job, unbiased and without restriction. Both Cumberland and Elgin soon
got into an emerging discussion as to how to cope with the additional
recommendation for prizes. They both agreed that medals would be their
preference even though they concluded a couple of the exhibitors might
prefer cash awards. Cumberland states “it is not improbable that
two of the number, vis. P. Rodier of St. Hyacinthe and G. Perry of Montreal
would prefer a pecuniary reward; the former being a youth in comparatively
judicial circumstance and the latter a person who has perhaps sufficient
conscience to feel unworthy of any distinction at the hands of your Excellency
and is sufficiently sordid to seek pecuniary reward from the same source.”
It was perhaps naïve to think Perry so thought but he was awarded
a medal or money when the final list was presented.
The
report of the Jurors recommended 2 prizes of 20 pounds, 3 of 10 pounds
and 6 of 5 pounds. Now the debate begins. Were the first 5 medals gold
and the last 6 silver, silver plated bronze or bronze? Were the 20 pound
medals larger than the 10 pound medals? Why do bronze medals crop up periodically
not engraved? There is no doubt the 10 pound medals were gold. One has
survived , that of R. Morris of Montreal. He was exhibitor #113 and won
for his set of sleigh harness. It is 37 mm in diameter and weighs 58.1
grams of 22k gold. It sold as lot 253 in Jeffrey Hoare’s Torex auction
in Toronto in 1988. As far as is known, this is the only specimen that
has survived. This author has concluded that the 3-10 pound prizes were
gold. We also believe the 6-5 pound prizes were silver or silver plated
bronze. One would assume the single 20 pound prize was either gold or
cash as G. Perry won it. The second 20 pound prize was divided 3 ways
so one might conclude these prizes were silver or silver plated bronze
too. Could the Honorable Mentions have received bronze specimens? There
were 15 of these and the medal would have cost about 2 pounds. Did Elgin
spring for another 30 pounds? Leslie Lewis Allen, author of the definitive
reference on Crystal Palace medals, wrote in a letter to this author that
he had seen or heard of a silver plated bronze Elgin medal at some point
in time. This would lead credence to the belief that the 5 pound medals
were silver or silver plated bronze. 
