Lot 972

Description

Sydney Rifle Club, large entirely hand crafted medallion in silver (160grams; 67mm) made from two smoothed silver discs with ornate floral surround with crossed rifles suspension mount and loop at top, engraved in the manner of H. Cohen, obverse gentlman in hat under a tree shooting rifle at a target in the distance, reverse 'Presented to/ Mr. John Carmichael/by the/ Sydney Rifle Club/being the prize awarded to the best shot in the 2nd match/on the 5th day of April 1847.'. Very fine and excessively rare.

Ex Len Barton, Sydney Antique dealer in 1980. A similar medal depicted in Gullick's manuscript is in the Mitchell Library. This medal published and illustrated in page 18 of The Target Rifle in Australia 1860-1900 by J.E. Corcoran, Sydney 1975. (copy No 8, signed by the author is included in this lot). Also published in 'Shooting Awards and prize medals to Australian Military Forces' by John O'Connor, Sydney 2002 p.102-3, where reference is made to the discs being made from Spanish eight reales.