Albert Smith - Egyptian Hall Museum brass medal 1860 (obverse)
The medal shows a well engraved portrait of Albert Smith (1816-1860) and on the reverse side is the text EGYPTIAN HALL MUSEUM 1860. The medal was struck in brass with much of its original gilt remaining. There is a hole to accommodate a suspension loop.
This medal dated 1860 was issued to commemorate Albert Richard Smith’s long-standing association with the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly, London. Albert Smith originally went to medical school in London and Paris to train as a surgeon but later found his niche in life as an author and entertainer. He became a well known writer of novels, plays and short-stories throughout Victorian England. Albert Smith also liked to travel and recount his adventures including those of his ascent on Mont Blanc in the Alps (1851) and of his journeys throughout China (1858). He also entertained in the Egyptian Hall enthralling audiences with readings of his own works, recounting his adventures of climbing Mont Blanc and from China.
The Egyptian Hall Museum was a museum opened to the public in 1812 and housed in a specially designed building with an ancient Egyptian style façade. The museum was built by William Bullock at the enormous cost at the time of £16,000 but the venture proved immensely profitable for him. Many ancient Egyptian artefacts brought back by Napoleon’s armies found there way there as well as many displays of other non-Egyptian and natural history objects. After 1820, the museum also served as an entertainment hall. It was located at number 22 Piccadilly, London but sadly, was demolished in 1905 and the present site is occupied by office blocks at numbers 170-173 Piccadilly.
References:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Richard_Smith (Wikipedia article on Albert Smith).
www.les-alpes-livres.com/Resources/Albert Smith NPa.pdf (Article about collectables associated with Albert Smith. The medal pictured above is mentioned but is undrilled and passed as a token).
www.georgianindex.net/Bullocks/Egyptian_Hall.html (Small article on teh Egyptian Hall Museum with contemporary engraving prints).
www.victorianweb.org/art/architecture/london/60.html (Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly from an 1895 photograph).
Enamels: n/a.
Finish: Gilt.
Material: Brass.
Fixer: Suspension loop/eye.
Size: 7/8” in diameter (about 22mm).
Process: Die stamped.
Maker: Pinches (of London).
Thank you for reading.
Stuart.
Albert Smith - Egyptian Hall Museum brass medal 1860 (obverse)
The medal shows a well engraved portrait of Albert Smith (1816-1860) and on the reverse side is the text EGYPTIAN HALL MUSEUM 1860. The medal was struck in brass with much of its original gilt remaining. There is a hole to accommodate a suspension loop.
This medal dated 1860 was issued to commemorate Albert Richard Smith’s long-standing association with the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly, London. Albert Smith originally went to medical school in London and Paris to train as a surgeon but later found his niche in life as an author and entertainer. He became a well known writer of novels, plays and short-stories throughout Victorian England. Albert Smith also liked to travel and recount his adventures including those of his ascent on Mont Blanc in the Alps (1851) and of his journeys throughout China (1858). He also entertained in the Egyptian Hall enthralling audiences with readings of his own works, recounting his adventures of climbing Mont Blanc and from China.
The Egyptian Hall Museum was a museum opened to the public in 1812 and housed in a specially designed building with an ancient Egyptian style façade. The museum was built by William Bullock at the enormous cost at the time of £16,000 but the venture proved immensely profitable for him. Many ancient Egyptian artefacts brought back by Napoleon’s armies found there way there as well as many displays of other non-Egyptian and natural history objects. After 1820, the museum also served as an entertainment hall. It was located at number 22 Piccadilly, London but sadly, was demolished in 1905 and the present site is occupied by office blocks at numbers 170-173 Piccadilly.
References:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Richard_Smith (Wikipedia article on Albert Smith).
www.les-alpes-livres.com/Resources/Albert Smith NPa.pdf (Article about collectables associated with Albert Smith. The medal pictured above is mentioned but is undrilled and passed as a token).
www.georgianindex.net/Bullocks/Egyptian_Hall.html (Small article on teh Egyptian Hall Museum with contemporary engraving prints).
www.victorianweb.org/art/architecture/london/60.html (Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly from an 1895 photograph).
Enamels: n/a.
Finish: Gilt.
Material: Brass.
Fixer: Suspension loop/eye.
Size: 7/8” in diameter (about 22mm).
Process: Die stamped.
Maker: Pinches (of London).
Thank you for reading.
Stuart.