Collections Explorer

Maker(s):

London; mint
Taylor, W.J.; die-engraver
Küchler, Conrad Heinrich; artist

Name(s):

Boulton's Trafalgar Medal; denomination
modern reproduction; authenticity
medals; Series
Military; subseries
Britain; subsubseries
Royal Navy; subsubsubseries

Date:

1860 — 1895

Description:

After Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar in 1805 the prominent Birmingham industrialist Matthew Boulton distributed about 15,000 Trafalgar Medals at his own expense to participants in the battle. These medals were all in white metal, but subsequent years saw a number of presentation issues in other metals, and between 1860 and 1895 the London die-sinker W. J. Taylor was commissioned by Boulton's heir to produce a new run, of which this silver piece is one.
The medals all share the same design, which shows a view of the battle, with Nelson’s signal ‘ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY’ above.
This is one of a number of the Taylor restrikes of the medal that was mounted in a watchglass, which has finely preserved the detail of the frosted finish. Lester Watson purchased this medal from the London dealers Baldwin in 1927.

Production
Place (legacy):

London, mint, place

Production
Note:

frosted finish, mounted in watchglass

Technique:

struck

Material:

silver

Dimension(s):

weight, 77.45, g
diameter, 49.8, mm

Acquisition:

loan; 2005; Cambridge in America

Inscription(s):

design; obverse; HORATIO VISCOUNT NELSON K. B. DUKE OF BRONTE; Bust of Nelson facing left
design; reverse; ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY; Sea-battle scene with Trafalgar's name and date given in exergue

Alternative
Number(s):

Watson Catalogue; 38
ordering; M-0035

Exhibition(s):

Imagery of War.
Catalogue number: 65

Documentation:

Hayward, John (author, C20th). Birch, Diana. Bishop, Richard. 2006. British Battles and Medals 7th edn.London: Spinkp. 37-38

British and other Campaign and Gallantry Medals From the Collection of Lester Watson (d. 1959).
Boulton's Trafalgar 1805 (white metal, as awarded in 1806; resembling a "frosted proof" in a watchglass): unnamed. EF (slight staining at rim)

Accession:

Object Number: LW.0035
(Coins and Medals)
(record id: 141246; input: 2007-03-27; modified: 2009-11-23)

Permanent
Identifier:

http://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141246