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Savill Medal: CM.63-2005

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Artist: Wyon, Allan Gairdner
Issuer: West End Hospital for Diseases of the Nervous System, Paralysis and Epilepsy
Issuer: Savill, Thomas Dixon, Dr (Struck in the name of)

Entities

Categories

Description

Thomas Dixon Savill was a famous practitioner in the nascent field of neurology in the Edwardian era; he died in Algier in 1910 having identified Savill's Disease and made numerous other researches into the field. Much of his later work was carried out at the West End Hospital for Diseases of the Nervous System, Paralysis and Epilepsy, which became simply the West End Hospital for Nervous Diseases in 1915. The Hospital was closed in 1955, and consequently the Museum's information on this medal is limited, but it seems to be a prize awarded in Dr Savill's honour for work in neurology, and the signature of the designer, Allan Gairdner Wyon, indicates that this piece, which is a white-metal specimen, was struck in 1913. Despite this it bears the shorter form of the Hospital's name, only officially adopted two years later, so the exact date of issue of the medal, if it was in fact issued, is unclear. The Museum also has another specimen in bronze.

Notes

History note: From the estate of the late Mrs Venetia M. Watson, daughter of the artist

Place(s) associated

  • London

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (2005-01-31) by Watson, Philip Charles

Dating

Uncertain 1913 CE - Uncertain 1915 CE

Note

White metal specimen

Components of the work

Object composed of white metal Diameter 70.0 mm Weight 114.14 g

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Bust of Dr Thomas Dixon Savill, in University robes, three-quarters right, with legend around and in the exergue the motto "LIFE IS BVT A LITTLE HOLDING LENT TO DO DO A MIGHTY LABOVR"

  • Text: 7th SEPTEMBER 1856 / THOMAS DIXON SAVILL M.D.Lond. / 10th JANVARY 1910
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Hygeia, seated right on plinth inscribed with her name in Greek lettering, right arm raised for balance as she feeds snake coiled round her lefgt arm out of patera held in left hand; Classical pillars flank a balcony behind her, with legends in panels above and in exergue

  • Text: WEST END HOSPITAL FOR / NERVOUS DISEASES LONDON // AWARDED TO / / FOR NEUROLOGY
  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.63-2005
Primary reference Number: 156582
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Thursday 30 June 2016 Last processed: Tuesday 13 June 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Coins and Medals

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Savill Medal" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/156582 Accessed: 2024-11-25 15:04:10

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/156582 |title=Savill Medal |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-25 15:04:10|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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