Great Britain Historical Medals

Lot 3788    Session 14 (4.30pm Thursday 24 November) Leslie J Carlisle C    Great Britain Historical Medals

Estimate $100
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $180

SCOTLAND, Royal Society of the Arts, (1810), award medal in silver (42mm), by E.Pidgeon, reverse inscribed around the top, 'To Mr George Spark MDCCCX' and in the centre, 'For/A/Noctuarium'. Some digs on obverse and small edge nicks, otherwise very fine.

In the Royal Society of the Arts transaction book is the following,
'The Silver Medal was this Session voted to Mr G.Spark, of Elgin, Murrayshire, Scotland, for his Method of ascertaining the Hour in the night, by an Apparatus, connected with a common Watch. The following Communication was received from him. An Explanatory Engraving is annexed, and a complete Apparatus preserved in the Society's Repository.'

George Spark's communication to the Society and addressed to C.Taylor, M.D. (Mechanics Division) Sec, dated at Elgin, March 7, 1810, was as follows,
'By Mr John Newton, watchmaker, I have forwarded an invention for knowing the hour in the dark, by feeling. I think it is preferable to a repeater, on account of its simplicity and cheapness. It is not liable to be out of order, and it does not require the exertion necessary for pushing the pendant of a repeater, nor disturb any person near it. For these reasons I diffidently wish to have the honor of laying this invention, which I call a Noctuary, before the Society; and to be favored with their decision on its merits.'