Lot 1027

Description

Presentation trowel, 1886, for the laying of the foundation stone for Princes Bridge, Melbourne (390mm x 130mm) by H.Newman, Melbourne, with silver blade bearing the arms of the Colony of Victoria and the City of Melbourne together with a view of the new bridge, a blade of blackwood, mounted with gold, two shields bearing the monograms of the Mayoress and the contractor worked in enamel of diffferent colours. Around the edge of the blade is inscribed 'Shire of Moorabbin * Shire of Malvern * Borough of St Kilda * City of South Melbourne * City of Prahran * Borough of Brighton * Shire of Caulfield', and on the blade 'Presented / To / the Wife of / The Right Worshipful / The Mayor of Melbourne / Mrs James Cooper Stewart / On the Occasion of her laying / the Foundation Stone / of the / New Princes Bridge / 7th September 1886, Her Birthday / By the Contractor For the Work / David Munro'. In a satin lined leather case (450mm x 165mm) with a silver plaque inscribed 'Presented to / The Mayoress Mrs J.C.Stewart / by / David Munro', the underneath of the case gold embossed in centre 'H.Newman / Watchmaker & Jeweller / 123 Elizabeth St / Melbourne' and on top edge 'Fiedler & Co / 18 Franklin St W'. Illustrated in Hawkins, J.B., 'Nineteenth Century Australian Silver', Vol 2, page 246, plate 485. See copy of 'The Chronicles of Early Melbourne 1888' by Edmund Finn 'Garryowen' 'New Princes Bridge' pages 505-509. Together with newspaper clippings.