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Medals: CM.68-2005

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An image of Medals
Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Artist: Wyon, Allan Gairdner
Issuer: Napier, Frances Charlotte, Lady Chelmsford (Struck in the name of)

Entities

Categories

Description

Lady Frances Chelmsford was Vicereine of India during the term of office of her husband, Frederick John Napier, Viscount Chelmsford, as Viceroy between 1916 and 1921. It is likely, according to Brown's catalogue, that this medal was a prize awarded by her during her time in India, but this piece is an earlier design than the one known to Brown, in which the designer Allan Gairdner Wyon did not record a collaborator as he did in the Brown piece. It uses a slightly different portrait of Lady Chelmsford with less jewellery and smoother lines. The Museum has both white-metal and bronze specimens of this earlier design, as well as a bronze specimen of that catalogued by Brown.

Notes

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

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

Production date: AD 1919

Note

White metal specimen

Components of the work

Object composed of white metal Diameter 43 mm Die Axis 0 degrees Weight 40.23 g

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Head of Frances Chelmsford, with pearl necklace and hairclip, left, inscription around either side

  • Text: FRANCES CHELMSFORD
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Blank field with double cartouche bearing legend in Persian script

  • Text: [Knowledge increases as you read and study, but you must put what you have learned to good use or you are stupid]
  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.68-2005
Primary reference Number: 156587
Brown: cf. 4137

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 29 April 2024

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 (2025) "Medals" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/156587 Accessed: 2025-12-06 18:54:23

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/156587 |title=Medals |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-06 18:54:23|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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