Lot 2946

Description

Comunn Na Feine Society (Scottish), (1860), in silver (51mm), obverse, the Society's arms featuring an aboriginal, reverse, plain and inscribed, 'Tilting/1st Prize of/Comunn Na Feine/To/John Riddoch/Geelong/Jany 2d 1860'. Missing suspension, scuffing on reverse, otherwise very fine/fine and rare.

The Comunn Na Feine Society was the first Scottish society formed in the colony of Victoria being founded in December 1856. Its first highland gathering was held in 1857 and attracted 5-6,000 people. The society was very involved in competitions for education, music, dancing and sporting activities.

A report of these Scottish Games held at Geelong, Victoria on 2 January 1860 stated that they lasted until sundown and except for one little 'scrimmage' between two inebriates, the best order prevailed during the day. Competitions were held in Tilting (10 competitors and won by John Riddoch, as per above medal, who took off 12 rings), Archery, Music, Dancing, Costume, Heavy Stone, Light Stone, Heavy Hammer, Light Hammer, Running High Leap, Standing High Leap, Running Long Leap, Foot Race, Single Stitch, Aborigines Foot Race (won by Alexander, a Sydney native) and Spear-Throwing (won by Dick of Geelong). Tilting, based on medieval jousting, is the sport of riding a horse and trying to hook a ring onto the rider's lance.