Lot 354

Description

Lord Ranfurly, hand engraved stock medal, in silver (55x38mm), by C.W. (Charles Weedon, London), hallmark for London 1904, ring top suspension, obverse inscribed 'Ruatoki/March 16, 1904/Ranfurly/Governor/1897 to 1904', reverse inscribed 'Malcolm Ross/Hei/whakamaharatanga/ki te Hui nui/Na tetahi hoa/pono o te/Iwi Maori.' ('We have had a good meeting. Thank you from your friends, to a disciple of all things Maori.'). Edge bruise at 5:30 o'clock on reverse, toned, nearly extremely fine.

Ex Malcolm Ross Archive, Webb's/Bethune Sale, Auckland, 21 June 2009 (lot 426).

According to a letter sent by W.P.Reeves to Lord Ranfurly on 27 January 1905, thirteen similar medals were made, and presented to the following people: Hon James Carroll, Captain Gilbert Mair NZC, Dr Pomare, Te Maikowha, Tupaea, Te Amo, Tutakangahau, Te Tuhi Pihopa, Paora Kingi, Te Hurinui Apanui, Tana Rakuvaku [Rakuraku?], Te Whenuanui, and Numia Kereru. Curiously, Ross does not appear on this list, although a letter sent by him to Lord Ranfurly on 22 June 1905 makes mention of the tokens. Ross accompanied Lord Ranfurly on a number of diplomatic missions, documenting the events in writing and photographs. His account of the 1904 visit to Te Urewera, 'Through Tuhoe Land: Lord Ranfurly's Farewell to the Maori People', was published in Christchurch later that year.

Malcolm Ross was a journalist and New Zealand's first official War Photographer in 1915. He accompanied Lord Ranfurly on many of his visits around the Colony and further afield.