Lot 1499

Description

Royal Society Queen's Medal, 1838, in gold (tested 22ct, 290gm, 72mm) by W.Wyon, obverse, Queen Victoria diademed bust left, reverse, statue of Sir Isaac Newton between drawings of his theories, planetary solar systems and 66th proposition of the principia, inscribed on edge 'Warren de la Rue 1864' (Eimer 1322, BHM 1885). With scratches in fields, otherwise good extremely fine.

Two gold medals were awarded annually from 1833 for the most important contribution to the advancement of natural knowledge, each in a triennial cycle of subjects.

Warren de la Rue (1815-1889) British astromoner, chemist, inventor, pioneer of astronomical photograghy. He was born in Guernsey on 15 January 1815 and educated at the College Sainte-Barbe in Paris. He was a member of the Royal Astronomical Society and was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1850 being awarded their Royal Medal in 1864 for his work in astronomical photography.