Comments on: Charles Darwin and Matthew Boulton http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/blog/index.php/2009/12/charles-darwin-and-matthew-boulton/ Hidden treasures and stories from our collection Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:34:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Bob Meade http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/blog/index.php/2009/12/charles-darwin-and-matthew-boulton/comment-page-1/#comment-1389 Bob Meade Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:29:47 +0000 http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/blog/?p=1116#comment-1389 Thank you for your answer Paul. Thank you for your answer Paul.

]]> By: Paul Donnelly http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/blog/index.php/2009/12/charles-darwin-and-matthew-boulton/comment-page-1/#comment-1258 Paul Donnelly Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:01:29 +0000 http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/blog/?p=1116#comment-1258 In answer to your questions Bob; it was long the convention to use Latin on medals / medallions and also coins. Even today, Britain's coins use Latin abbreviations for their inscriptions D.G. (Dei Gratia) etc. (etc. to continue the convenient use of Latin!). Latin added a formality and association with class and learning to a medal that no doubt was seen as granting prestige and cachet. Medal and medallion are synonymous terms although I often think the latter avoids confusion with military medals. If used however, the term medallion is best (and subjectively) reserved for large medals. Just to add more fuel to the fire there is also the term medalet which is defined by the doyen of Australian medals, Leslie Carlisle, as suited to medals measuring 32mm or less. Seems there is an element of fashion here for Carlisle’s ‘Australian commemorative medals and medalets from 1788' (Sydney 1983) has now been superseded by his expanded version called 'Australian Historical medals 1788-1988' (Sydney 2008). Looks like ‘medal’ will do! In answer to your questions Bob; it was long the convention to use Latin on medals / medallions and also coins. Even today, Britain’s coins use Latin abbreviations for their inscriptions D.G. (Dei Gratia) etc. (etc. to continue the convenient use of Latin!). Latin added a formality and association with class and learning to a medal that no doubt was seen as granting prestige and cachet.

Medal and medallion are synonymous terms although I often think the latter avoids confusion with military medals. If used however, the term medallion is best (and subjectively) reserved for large medals. Just to add more fuel to the fire there is also the term medalet which is defined by the doyen of Australian medals, Leslie Carlisle, as suited to medals measuring 32mm or less. Seems there is an element of fashion here for Carlisle’s ‘Australian commemorative medals and medalets from 1788′ (Sydney 1983) has now been superseded by his expanded version called ‘Australian Historical medals 1788-1988′ (Sydney 2008). Looks like ‘medal’ will do!

]]> By: Bob Meade http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/blog/index.php/2009/12/charles-darwin-and-matthew-boulton/comment-page-1/#comment-1194 Bob Meade Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:23:50 +0000 http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/blog/?p=1116#comment-1194 Thank you. I was unaware of this link between the Darwin and Boulton families. Although I do not have any Latin, I think that the spelling of MATTHEAVS BOVLTON may be some sort of latin reference. I wonder if you could tell me: Is that so? If not that, what? Why was this spelling of his name used in this case, and generally on medallions or inscriptions of the period? Another question: Your catalogue calls this a medal. I call it a medallion. How do you define the difference if any between medal and medallion for cataloguing? Thank you. I was unaware of this link between the Darwin and Boulton families.

Although I do not have any Latin, I think that the spelling of MATTHEAVS BOVLTON may be some sort of latin reference. I wonder if you could tell me: Is that so? If not that, what? Why was this spelling of his name used in this case, and generally on medallions or inscriptions of the period?

Another question: Your catalogue calls this a medal. I call it a medallion. How do you define the difference if any between medal and medallion for cataloguing?

]]> By: Melanie Pitkin http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/blog/index.php/2009/12/charles-darwin-and-matthew-boulton/comment-page-1/#comment-1187 Melanie Pitkin Wed, 30 Dec 2009 01:48:31 +0000 http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/blog/?p=1116#comment-1187 How about this - Thomas Hope, patron, designer and collector in Regency England (see the Museum's prized Egyptian revival settee and matching pair of armchairs on display in the Inspired! exhibition) knew Matthew Boulton. In fact, Boulton sent one of his craftsmen to Hope (allegedly Boulton's illegitimate son), John Phillp, to make drawings of furniture etc. in Hope's Duchess Street Mansion and there is a letter from Hope to Boulton in Birmigham dated to 1805. As far as I know, there isn't a connection to Darwin through Hope, but there is one between Hope and Wedgewood via Neo-Classicism and Hope's own collection. How about this – Thomas Hope, patron, designer and collector in Regency England (see the Museum’s prized Egyptian revival settee and matching pair of armchairs on display in the Inspired! exhibition) knew Matthew Boulton. In fact, Boulton sent one of his craftsmen to Hope (allegedly Boulton’s illegitimate son), John Phillp, to make drawings of furniture etc. in Hope’s Duchess Street Mansion and there is a letter from Hope to Boulton in Birmigham dated to 1805. As far as I know, there isn’t a connection to Darwin through Hope, but there is one between Hope and Wedgewood via Neo-Classicism and Hope’s own collection.

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