Australian Historical Medals

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Lot 859    Session 3 (2.30pm Tuesday)    Australian Historical Medals

Estimate $22,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au

ALFRED GOLLIN YACHTING MEMORABILIA; 1. Sayonara Cup souvenir gold and silver shield, 1904, heart shaped timber piece (28x30cm) in which is seated a high relief heart shaped silver shield decorated with images of the Sayonara Cup and the competing yachts, 'Bona' and 'Sayonara', all designs in high relief, at the top inscribed 'Sayonara Cup/Won by/Alfred Gollin, Esq. Sayonara R.Y.C.V.' and at the sides, "Bona."/New South Wales and "Sayonara"/Victoria, this shield is inset with a high relief, gold, heart shaped centrepiece on which is inscribed a dedication, 'We who with yourself were Sayonara's racing crew, having/had the honor of assisting you in winning the above Challenge/Cup, desire to express our keen appreciation of your qualities/not only as a yachtsman but as a host./The first four signatories who also accompanied/you in your Ocean Voyage from Melbourne to Sydney desire/to specially emphasise their estimation of your tact and kindness/during the long sea journey. Melbourne, January, 1904/To Alfred Gollins, Esq.' and below ten engraved signatures, at the base is a silver scroll on which is inscribed, 'Souvenir/First Interstate Yacht Race./Sydney, January, 9th 11th & 12th/1904', on the reverse is a loop for wall hanging. Good very fine. 2. Log book, of the yacht Sayonara R.Y.C.V. on the voyage from Melbourne to Sydney, commanded by Alfred Gollin, to compete in the Interstate Challenge Cup 1904, also includes various other entries through to 1906, size 32x28cm. Some paper loss to cover edges and spine, otherwise very fine. 3. Sayonara Cup book, 'A Cruise and Win' being reminiscent of the establishment of the Sayonara Perpetual Challenge Cup between the states of New South Wales and Victoria, Jan.1904, printed by The Atlas Press, Melbourne, 1905, hard cover (25.5x19cm), 55pp with gilt edging plus map and a number of plain, heavy, dark paper pages each with an actual photograph affixed and these pages interleaved throughout the book. Good very fine and rare. 4. Order of the red herring, cut-out fish design (approx 50x205mm) in copper, obverse with engraved and red paint filled scales, reverse inscribed, 'Order of the red herring/Presented to Mr.Alfred Gollin C.B.E./on the occasion of his crossing the line/for the fiftieth time/Neptune Rex', with a gold, white and blue neck cord. Very fine. 5. Silver cigarette cases (2), the first with an enamelled image of the Royal Yacht Squadron burgee on front, hallmarked for Birmingham 1903, gilt interior; the other a plain case inscribed with the initials 'AG', hallmarked for Birmingham 1892; also two small and two large gilt buttons individually inscribed, 'RTYC' (Royal Thames Yacht Club) and ensigned by a King's crown. Very fine - extremely fine. 6. Yachting, two place card setting holders in sterling silver (approx 55mm high), hallmarked for Birmingham 1906, features full sailed yacht on an ocean wave base and seated atop a raised circular base, hollow and filled with plaster and with felt bottom. Good very fine. 7. Yachting trophy, sterling silver cup with lid and side arms (approx 23cm high; 325g), marked for Edward Bernard & Sons, London, 1903, inscribed on the side, 'R.Y.C.V./Mr. F.K.Terry's Trophy,/Won By/Mr. A.Gollin's, "Sayonara", 1st/28-11-03'. Toned good very fine. 8. Yachting trophy, sterling silver cup with lid and side arms (approx 19.5cm high; 520g), marked for Edward Bernard & Sons, London, 1904, inscribed on the side, 'R.Y.C.V./Vice Commodore Wallace's Trophy/Won By/Mr. A.Gollin's, "Sayonara" 1st/27-2-04.' Toned good very fine. 9. Yachting trophy, silver plated cup (approx 20cm high), chalice style, inscribed on side, Brighton Yacht Club/Cruising Race/Nov 7th 1903/1st Prize, "Sayonara." Toned good very fine. 10. Watercolour tribute painting, signed by Herbert Woodhouse, 1901, features yacht under full sail on the ocean, in the foreground a bouy featuring the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria badge and on the sails the message, 'To Alfred Gollin Esq, Commodore, Royal Yacht Club of Victoria. Sir, On the occasion of your departure for Europe; the Members of this Club desire to express their warmest appreciation of the manner in which you have fulfilled the duties of Commodore, the great interest you have taken in the furthering of our Sport, and the welfare of the Club. Wishing you "Bon Voyage" and a safe and speedy return. We remain, on behalf of the Members, (signatures of three club officials) Oct 5th 1901', size approx 40x29.5cm and with timber frame approx 63x51cm and with original red leather and gold blocked presentation folder for the painting. Paper backing on frame damaged, otherwise good very fine. (The artist, Herbert Woodhouse (1854-1937), painter, illustrator, printmaker and sculptor was born in Great Britain and came to Australia in 1857. He exhibited with the Victorian Academy of Arts 1867-87, the Yarra Sculptor's Society 1901, also with the NSW Society of Artists and the Victorian Artist's Society in Melbourne.) 11. Yachting trophy, Sheffield plate cup (approx 31.5cm high), chalice style with ornate, high arms, engraving decorated and inscribed on one side, 'St.Kilda Yacht Club/Trophy/Presented By/Val Robertson Esq.' and on the oppposite side, 'Won By/Mr. A.Gollin's./"Uira"/4.2.99.' Some distortion around top edge, otherwise good very fine. 12. Yachting trophy, magnificent sterling silver cup with lid (approx 36cm high; 1.96kg), decorative arms and ornately floral decorated in high relief, marked for Edward Bernard & Sons, London, 1899, one side inscribed, 'Season 1901.1902./Won By/Yacht "Uira"/Record/10 Firsts, 2 Seconds, 1 Third.', on the opposite side, '1901/Nov.2. Challenge. 1st/30. St.Kilda H'cap. 2nd/ Dec.7. R.Y.C.V. Linear. 1st/14 R.Y.C.V. H'cap. 1st/25. R.Y.C.V. H.cap. 1st/1902/Jan.1. Geelong L.W.L. 1st/11. R.Y.C.V. H'cap. 2nd/18. St.Kilda L.W.L. 1st/23 R.Y.C.V. H'cap. 1st/Feb.1. R.Y.C.V. Linear. 1st/18. R.Y.C.V. Sail Area 3rd/15. Assocn. Linear. 1st/Mar.15. R.Y.C.V. Linear. 1st', side of the lid inscribed, 'Owner, A.Gollin,/Sailed By W.J.Robb. Skipper./T.Hogg, W.F.Langdon, E.Holroyd, W.Newbiggin,/C.Plante, G.Palmer and J.Cheel, Sailing Master,' stored in an English made timber case with lid and side handles, inside custom fitted and velvet lined;also with three yachting photos, two of these framed, one includes a record of Uira's race results in 1901/2 and another also includes this photo above a collection of winning trophies; a postcard and a greetings folder, both with a yachting theme, signed by Sir James Pender, Rear Commodore of Royal Thames Yacht Club in 1904 and a successful racing yachtsman; RYCV burgee shaped program for the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria 'Smoke Night' and Distribution of Prizes, Friday, August 30th, 1901, this features the name A.Gollin and his yacht Uira on several occasions; some racing souvenir pennants and a green and gold bobble hat in the colours of RYCV. Case key missing and a few edge bumps to inside edge of trophy lid, otherwise extremely fine. With research.

Alfred Gollin who was born at Liverpool in England on 29 May 1861 was a London businessman. He first came to Australia in 1899 and was a member of the firm of Gollin & Co, merchants and importers, established in Adelaide in the 1870s and moved to Melbourne in 1889. The firm also opened an office in London in 1902 and had a branch in Wellington, New Zealand. The directors of the company were five members of the Gollin family. The building site at 561-571 Bourke Street, Melbourne is a listed heritage location. On part of this site at 561-563 is the five-storey building constructed in 1902 in the Edwardian style for Gollin and Co as their offices and showroom.

In his lifetime Alfred travelled a million miles by sea and made at least thirty round trips between England and Australia. His first trip to Australia was made in 1899. During his time in Victoria, Mr Gollin, a keen sailor, was elected Commodore of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club. In the season 1901-1902 he had outstanding success with his yacht 'Uira' winning the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria season trophy awarded to the most successful competitor. Towards the end of 1901 he travelled to England. On his return to Australia he said that he had received a hearty welcome as an 'Australian yachtsman' and was elected to that exclusive institution, the Royal Thames Yacht Club.

In about 1902-1903 Alfred Gollin purchased a large yacht called 'Sayonara'. Designed as a fast cruising yawl with high bulwarks and a graceful sheerline, the yacht originally was an instant success in the waters of Port Phillip. However the rug was pulled from under her original owner in 1898 when the various clubs made a decision to limit the size of yachts entering important races and regattas. This decision only affected Sayonara and one other competitor. After Mr Gollin purchased Sayonara he spent a considerable amount of money to make her race ready and then tried to stimulate interest in an intercolonial challenge with New South Wales (NSW) by issuing a challenge to the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club. At first there was no interest from NSW but finally the challenge was accepted by MR H.Binney of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. Mr Binney's Auckland designed and built yacht 'Bona' had the reputation of not been beaten. Alfred Gollin donated a trophy worth one hundred guineas for the three race series.

Gollin and his crew sailed Sayonara from her moorings at St Kilda to Sydney, taking thirteen days to arrive. The race series was held in January 1904 with Sayonara winning the first and last race thus securing victory over Buna and taking the trophy. Alfred Gollin then offered the cup as a perpetual trophy to be called, 'The Sayonara Perpetual Challenge Trophy' for competition between Victoria and NSW. Sayonara won the challenge again in 1907 and in 1909 and is regarded as a legend in yachting circles.

Conducted along similar lines to the America's Cup, the Sayonara Cup became the pinnacle of yacht racing in the first half of the 20th century. In 1950 the deed of gift was amended to allow a challenge from the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania. The Sayonara Cup is still contested today although by a different class of boat.

After winning the Interstate Challenge, Alfred Gollin sold Sayonara and later returned to England. In August 1914 he joined the Metropolitan Special Constabulary in London. In October of the same year he was appointed to command Y Division. He resigned the command in 1919. For his services he was appointed MBE 1918, OBE 1919 and CBE 1920. A resident of Knightsbridge, he was a member of The Worshipful Company of Gardeners, Freeman of the City of London and Fellow of The Royal Institution.

He retired from all work in 1934 and it was reported in 31 December 1934 issue of the Brisbane newspaper, The Courier Mail, that Alfred Gollin was a passenger on the P&O liner, Maloja, making his thirtieth round trip to Australia.

Estimate / sale price does not include buyer's premium (currently 22% including GST) which is added to hammer price. All bids are executed on the understanding that the Terms & Conditions of sale have been read and accepted. For information on grading and estimates please refer to the Buying at Auction advice.

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