SIR HARRY SMITH 1851 MEDAL

[Rusty Greaves]

Welcome to GMIC thomastheone! All of us hope you enjoy browsing & contributing to the Forums.

 

NumIs, I believe that you are correct that there are calligraphic flourishes on the Girt Roots name seen on the  "G" of "GIRT", the "R" of "GIRT", the "R" of "ROOTS", and the "S" of "ROOTS". The reverse of the Roots medal is easy to examine in enlargement. It is harder to be certain whether there is some kind of embellishment to the final "G" of "KEIBERG". My current feeling is that there is no comparable flourish on the Keiberg "G" as seen on the Girt Roots name, and the  mark appears to be related to discoloration associated with the word "FIELD". 

 

 

High-resolution image of the reverse of the Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry 1851 to Girt Roots. From the 20 July, 2017 auction (Lot 862) archived on the Dix Noonan Webb website: https://www.dnw.co.uk/auction-archive/past-catalogues/lot.php?auction_id=455&lot_uid=295314). This image can be enlarged to further examine the calligraphic flourishes that Numis noted in his 27 March, 2021 post here. 

 

 

Lower-resolution cropped image of the reverse of the Sir Harry Smith Medal named to "JOHN KEIBERG",  from a 24 July, 2018 auction (18002, Lot 236) by Spink: https://www.spink.com/lot/18002000236 (also archived on the salesroom website: https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/spink/catalogue-id-srspi10178/lot-65be9677-5c0a-4733-836e-a914011ee946). This image can be enlarged slightly, but it does not fully resolve whether there is a comparable calligraphic flourish on the "G" of "KEIBERG". My inference is that the mark is not an engraved embellishment but is part of the staining associated with the relief inscription "FIELD". The Keiberg medal shows the smaller lettering of "...IN THE..." (die #!?, as discussed by Mitchell 1955 pg. 239) compared with the larger inscription of these same letters on the Girt Roots reverse above (is the Roots medal reverse die 3, the potential existence of a full stop at the end of "FIELD" is obscured by the soldered attachment remnants; or may it be die 4?, but it is not cracked die 2). 

 

 

High-resolution cropped image of the reverse of the Sir Harry Smith Medal to Thos. Dicks (from Dix Noonan Webb auction (Lot: 617) of 10 December, 2014: https://www.dnw.co.uk/auction-archive/lot-archive/lot.php?lot_uid=258353). This shows the crack in the upper left, affecting the "R' and "E" in "PRESENTED..." It also shows a partial double strike visible especially in the superior portion of "...ENTE..." of "PRESENTED", both the superior and lateral portions of the "...D BY" of "PRESENTED BY"; the superior portions of the "...ELLCY: of EXCELLCY"; and the "...BART G.C.B" at the end of "SIR H.G. SMITH". Is this the cracked die #2? Also note that the size of the "...IN THE..." is slightly larger than on the John Keiberg medal shown above, but is smaller than the same lettering of the Girt Roots medal. This same crack around the "R" and "E" in "PRESENTED..." also is visible on the lower-resolution online photos of the reverse of the Sir Harry Smith Medal named to Paul Arendt (shown as the 2nd and 3rd image in my post of 30 January, 2021) and the reverse of the medal named to Lt. Edward Lister-Green (shown in the 5th photo of my 30 January, 2021 post). 

Edited May 2, 2022 by Rusty Greaves

[numis]

Thanks RG for your latest contribution

My feeling is that the Roots medal is the reverse die 3 striking and that the full stop has been obliterated by the brooch attachment ( now removed )  .This medal has the same type of double struck rim as the medal to H Ferara  which has a good provenance and is die 3.  A photo of the HF medal is in the published history of Genadendal

 

It is to be hoped that more good photos of extant medals will come out in the future and anyone who knows of a surviving medal is asked to please contribute images thereof for this study 

 

Suspension details are also of importance to the sudy but unfortunately a few of the survors have been dismounted and the waters muddied in one or two cases by replacement suspensions being added.I know that a Capetonian  museum commissioned a replacement suspender from a local jeweller for a SHS Medal ( reportedly an unnamed die crack specimen ) 

 

In my mind there is no valid date succession in the numerical categorization   between reverse dies 1 and 3 which I would at present give first priority to as being original  contemporary specimens .The H Ferara die 3 specimen has the best provenance known to me at present 

[Rusty Greaves]

I don't have any new images of the Sir Harry Smith medal, but am adding a couple of minor bits of information. First, a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle has recently been made that shows the obverse of the Paul Arendt example of the Sir Harry Smith medal from the National Army Museum. 

 

 

Image of the jigsaw puzzle of the Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry 1851 made by Media Storehouse (https://www.mediastorehouse.co.uk/fine-art-finder/artists/british-school/sir-harry-smith-medal-gallantry-1851-25057834.html?prodid=80438&epik=dj0yJnU9NWpGbGVtQXpGSmxVdk8xOVFaVkx4VEFrZHA0YVc1YzImcD0wJm49OHI5N1dxWGVhd2N2djQwRzI3dW10QSZ0PUFBQUFBR01IMXNn). This company apparently has created several puzzles from medal images (they have sold photographic prints of the obverse of this medal for some time). As noted, the Paul Arendt medal is in the collection of the National Army Museum (UK), the Global Role gallery, NAM accession Number: NAM.1986-12-31-1 (https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1986-12-31-1+). Unfortunately only the obverse is part of the puzzle image. This puzzle is probably much easier to put together than numises research project sorting out the various historical complexities of information about this medal, engraving variations, the number of dies, their possible sequence, and tracking down the many missing puzzle pieces about the locations of examples of the medal as well as the ~31 partially-known recipients. 

Below is a map of the eastern frontier of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope that shows the location on of Fort Cox (just to the lower left of the beginning of the labelling: "QUEEN ADELAIDE'S PROVINCE") where the conflict occurred that resulted in the creation of Sir Harry Smith's privately instituted award for bravery following the siege of Fort Cox in December, 1850 at the beginning of the 8th Cape Frontier War. From: Smith, Sir Henry (Harry) George Wakelyn, 1903. The Autobiography of Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Smith, Baronet of Aliwol, on the Sutlej, G.C.B. Edited and with supplementary chapters by George Charles Moore Smith. Chapter XLIX (Supplementary): page 620. Archived on the UPENN Digital Library (https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/hsmith/autobiography/peninsular.html)  

 

 

From: Smith, Sir Henry (Harry) George Wakelyn, 1903. The Autobiography of Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Smith, Baronet of Aliwol, on the Sutlej, G.C.B. Edited and with supplementary chapters by George Charles Moore Smith. Chapter XLIX (Supplementary): page 620. Archived on the UPENN Digital Library (https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/hsmith/autobiography/peninsular.html). A detailed description of the background and conflict is provided in Chapter XLIX of this online volume. Some additional information is provided in my post here of 23 March 2021 on page 236 and the illustration CAPE MOUNTED RIFLEMEN,  KAFFIR WAR 1850." BY "H. M." I.E. HENRY MARTENS in the important Mitchell article reference: Mitchell, F. K., 1955. Sir Harry Smith's Medal for Gallantry: 1955. African Notes and News (Africana Aantekeninge En Nuis), Vol XI, No. 7 (June 1955), pp. 236-242. Africana Society, Africana Museum, City of Johannesburg (printed by Cape Times Limited, Johannesburg)

 

 

Edited August 26, 2022 by Rusty Greaves

[Rusty Greaves]

I have a small amount of information regarding a listed recipient of the Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry. I came across an archive in New Zealand with materials about Lt. Edward Lister-Green of the Cape Mountain Rifles, whose engraved Sir Harry Smith Medal is considered by Numis as a bit of an oddity as he was surprised that an officer was awarded this unofficial medal. 

 

 

Low resolution image of the obverse of the Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry 1851 attributed to Lt. Edward Lister-Green. From the Online Medals website: http://www.onlinemedals.co.uk/medal-encyclopaedia/pre-ww1-medals/sir-harry-smith’s-medal-gallantry. 

 

 

Low-resolution photo of the reverse of the same (?) Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry from the Online Medals website with Lt. Edward Lister-Green's name engraved on it. I previously included both of these photos of the Edward Lister-Green Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry as the  4th & 5th images in my post of 30 January, 2021 on this thread. The engraved name reads: “Lt. E. L. GREEN.” The Online Medals website identifies the diameter of the medal as 34 mm (most given measurements are the equivalent 1.4 in) and the width of the ribbon as 32 mm. Although not as easy to see as on other examples, note the crack around the "R" and "E"  in the word "PRESENTED" from the same die as was used to strike the Thos. Dicks and Paul Arendt medals, as discussed at the end of my post here of 1 May 2022, under the photo of the reverse of the Thos. Dicks medal. 

 

Edward Lister-Green was born in Christ Church, Montreal, Canada on 4 March 1827. He married Emily Ogilvie (of Grahamstown, Cape Colony) on 1 June, 1854 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. His working career began in 1843 with the Commissariat Department in Nova Scotia. One source suggests he was an ensign in the Cape Mounted Rifles in 1847, and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1848. The principal archive in New Zealand with some online catalog information gives his appointment date to the C.M.R. as 1848 and 1849. He was ADC to Major-General Henry Somerset in the Frontier Wars of 1850-1853. He was promoted to Captain in the 5th Regiment of Foot in 1858 and was stationed in India. He returned to England in 1859 and went back to India as Captain of the 77th Foot. Lister-Green was promoted to Major of the 6th Foot in India and China in 1861. He later served in Gibralter and Ireland, and retired from the military in 1864. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1866 after his father’s death, first to Napier and later to Auckland. It appears he was appointed to the Napier Militia in 1868 and 1869. He served as an immigration officer and subsequently as Sheriff in Auckland. He died on 19 April, 1887 in Auckland.

 

Edward Lister-Green (1827-1887) served with the Cape Mounted Rifles and in India, China Corfu, Ireland and settled in New Zealand where he was active in politics. Papers related to his life are housed in the Alexander Turnbull Library collections, of the National Library of New Zealand in Wellington. There is some online catalogue information about the archive collection holdings (https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22367808). There are minimally descriptive listings of papers associated with him (https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23051449?search[i][name_authority_id]=-90289&search[path]=items) that include 3 diaries, testimonials, sketches, manuscripts, correspondence, one map, and certificates from Green’s career. His 1858 diary includes some descriptions of his activities in Cape Province, and a list of articles packed when he returned to England. Lister-Green's 1859 diary records items he packed for his return to India in February 1859. The 1860 diary mostly covers his time in Bombay and China, it lists goods taken to Hong Kong, and a note in the states it includes “list of persons with birth dates (possibly family of Sir Harry and Lady Smith)”. The testimonials and certificates include his appointments to the Cape Mounted Rifles in 1848 and 1849. It is possible to request copies of materials in this archived collection from the library listings of the holdings in this collection at the Alexander Turnbull Library, The National Library of New Zealand in Wellington.

 

 

Portrait photo of Major Edward Lister-Green in full dress uniform of the 26 Cameronian from the Alexander Turnbull Library, the National Library of New Zealand in Wellington (https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22763726?search%5Bi%5D%5Bname_authority_id%5D=-90289&search%5Bpath%5D=items). This photo is associated with the possible dates between 1867 and 1877, the reference number is 1/4-012895-F. A high-resolution download of this image from the original negative can be obtained from the National Library of New Zealand for an unspecified fee. The above version of this photo is free to share for non-commercial uses, and can be posted on blogs or websites. The following credit is requested to always accompany any use of this image: Mooney, K (Mrs) : Major Edward Lister Green. Ref: 1/4-012895-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22763726. 

 

Edited September 29, 2022 by Rusty Greaves

[Rusty Greaves]

I came cross a drawing of the named Sir Harry Smith Medal to J. Hassall in the publication: Irwin, D. Hastings, 1910. War Medals and Decorations: Issued to the British Military and Naval Forces and Allies from 1588 to 1910. 4th Edition. L. Upcott Gill, London. The D. Hastings Irwin volume was cited by F. K. Mitchell in his important 1955 article about the Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry. Mitchell cites Plate XVIII (showing a drawing of this medal) in Irwin in his footnote 2 on page 237. He also cites page 464 of the D. Hastings Irwin volume about this medal in that same footnote. The description of the Sir Harry Smith Medal is actually on pg. 466 of the 4th Edition of the Irwin 1910 work, not pg. 464. I have reproduced both the Plate XVIII illustration of the Sir Harry Smith medal and the description of the medal from pg. 466 below.

 

 

Cropped lower portion of Plate XVIII from D. Hastings Irwin, 1910, War Medals and Decorations: Issued to the British Military and Naval Forces and Allies from 1588 to 1910. 4th Edition. L. Upcott Gill, London. This drawing shows the Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry inscribed with the name "J. HASSALL". That medal was owned by F. K. Mitchell when he wrote his 1955 article. Mitchell included a photo of this medal in Plate 1 of his 1955 article (shown below). The image above comes from a digitized copy of the D. Hastings Irwin book from the Internet Archive website (https://archive.org/details/warmedalsdecorat00irwiuoft/mode/2up). This electronic version is from the University of Toronto Library (accessioned 9 January, 1981), after being discarded from the Legislative Library of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, directly east of the Univ. of Toronto.

 

 

A cropped version of Plate 1 from: Mitchell, F. K., 1955. Sir Harry Smith's Medal for Gallantry: 1955. African Notes and News (Africana Aantekeninge En Nuis), Vol XI, No. 7 (June 1955), pp. 236-242. Africana Society, Africana Museum, City of Johannesburg (printed by Cape Times Limited, Johannesburg). This is a photographic image of the Sir Harry Smith Medal marked "J. HASSALL", that Mitchell notes on page 237 of his article was in his personal collection (where he lists known or suspected recipients of this medal). The complete article is reproduced in my post of 23 March, 2021 on this thread. 

 

 

The description of the Sir Harry Smith Medal from pg 466 of the D. Hastings Irwin 1910 volume. This does not add any additional information about the medal. However, it provides another reference on this medal and corrects the footnote reference in F. K. Mitchell's 1955 article that mistakenly cites the description as being on page 464 of the 4th Edition of Irwin's book. The stamp in the upper left corner is from the Legislative Library of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.  

[Rusty Greaves]

Below is a listing for a Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry 1851 from a 4 December, 1991 auction catalog listing of Lot 19 by Buckland, Dix, and (1991. Auction of the Collection of Orders, Decorations, and Campaign Medals formed by A. A. Uphill-Brown: The Property of the Trustees Pasturehill Trust, Luxembourg. To be Held at the Westbury Hotel London W1, Wednesday 4 December 1991 Collection at 11.30 am Precisely. Buckland, Dix, & Wood Auctioneers and Valuers, London). The illustration of the Sir Harry Smith medal is low-resolution, and there is minimal information about the medal except for the summary of the Fort Cox conflict. 

 

 

Above is the illustration of the unnamed Sir Harry Smith medal from this 1991 auction. The hammer price for Lot 19 was £1,500. Although the illustration of the medal is not detailed, there may be some proportional distinctions in the size of the inscription, especially the smaller lettering of "IN THE" within the inferior legend: "FOR GALLANTRY IN THE FIELD" that helps narrow the die options represented by this example.  

Edited November 19, 2022 by Rusty Greaves

[numis]

Many thanks Rusty for your much appreciated further contributions since my last thank you to you

Numis

[Graf]

Very interesting Many thanks Rusty

[Rusty Greaves]

This is a follow up of a small amount of information regarding the Sir Harry Smith 1851 medal for gallantry that is identified as being awarded to Henry Evans. I included some of this, but wanted to summarize what I have found to this point. I continue to look for additional information, but thus far no photo of this medal has become readily available online. 

 

I noted in my post on this thread of 14 March, 2022 that there was information about the Henry Evans medal in the July 1953 issue of Seaby’s Coin and Medal Bulletin (No, 422, 1953 Vol, No. 7, by B.A. Seaby Ltd., London). On pages 290-291, there is a note written/edited by “a collector who has no connection to our firm” (probably Dr. Frank K. Mitchell) under the section “War Medals Notes and News”, titled: “The Kennard Collection, 1924”. This identifies some sales information about the collection containing the Sir Harry Smith medal for gallantry named to Henry Evans. I summarized some of this in my 14 March, 2022 post, but here is the original text (from the Newman Numismatic Portal [NNP] at Washington University at St. Louis: https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/555601?page=16):

 

 

 

There may be additional information in the May, August, and September issues of Seaby's Coin and Medal Bulletin for 1952, but I have been unable to find those pubs online or in the university libraries I can access. 

 

I also noted in my post on this thread of 13 March, 2021 that the Dix Noonan Webb (now Noonan Mayfair) website has archived the sale of the Sir Harry Smith medal for gallantry awarded to Henry Evans C.M.R., but without a photo. Of value, is the historical note of what appears to be the first two sales of this medal in 1898 and 1913, identified in the auction description of this medal. The Sotheby's sale of the Kennard Collection in 1924 (noted above in Seaby's Cook and Medal Bulletin) appears to be the next sale of the Henry Evans medal. I have not found any other sale notes until the Dix Noonan Webb sale that was on 20 March, 2008, Lot No. 204, where the medal sold for £7,500 (https://www.noonans.co.uk/auctions/archive/past-catalogues/131/catalogue/153200/?offset=200). The description states: “Sir Harry Smith’s Medal for Gallantry 1851 (Henry Evans, C.M.R.) fitted with silver clip and bar suspension, good very fine, very rare and one of the finest named examples recorded £6000-8000. First recorded for sale by Debenhams in July 1898, and in the Day Collection, Sotheby 1913.” 

Edited April 14, 2023 by Rusty Greaves

[Rusty Greaves]

I received a reply from the Administration of City Coins in Cape Town recently, this was my second email contact with them. They graciously replied promptly with the information from their Auction 55 (9 December, 2005, Lot 1 sale of the named Sir Harry Smith 1851 medal for gallantry to Thomas Duncan. Unfortunately, they no longer have high-resolution images of the medal, but did send a low-resolution photo they do still have. Most of the catalogue information has already been included on this thread in the post of 6 March, 2021 by Gavin (gavinemedals). Of greatest relevance in what Gavin previously cited is the portion of the description: “silver; 33,4 mm diam.) Fitted with a plain silver clamp and loosely fitting clip suspender. The medal is in extremely fine condition and has a superb steel blue tone. Part of the characteristic metal flaws, due to the cracking of the original striking, have been removed through neat tooling.” The expected sale price was 60.000-80.000 R. 

 

 

The small amount of additional information in the catalogue listing (9 December, 2005) includes the following: “As far as the cataloguer is aware, only two named specimens have been offered for sale on the open market during the last 25 years. The last specimen was sold in DNW Auction Rooms in December 2001 for a hammer price of £5.000 (excluding buyer’s premium). Provenance: purchased from Spink and Son in 1958. Sold with the original correspondence with Edward Joslin confirming the sale price of £75-00 with the statement: ‘The Sir Harry Smith medal to Thomas Duncan is from General Whittaker’s collection, and it was in his collection before 1890. In more recent years the whole collection was on display in the Wolesley Room of the Royal United Services Institute in Whitehall’."

 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Rusty Greaves

[Rusty Greaves]

There is a 1 page listing of an unnamed Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry in the South African National War Museum: Medal Catalogue (Catalogue of Military Orders, Decorations and Medals Displayed in the Medal Section of the South African National War Museum, Johannesburgh). 28 November, 1959, Johannesburgh (offset printing (?) copy of typescript manuscript). 

 

Reference No. 134 lists the Sir Harry Smith's Medal for Gallantry 1851 from the R. E. Hunt Collection, in Exhibit 1, Case 7. There is a very brief description of the unofficial status of this award, the battle at Fort Cox, breakout through the Kaffir lines, and context of Sir Harry Smith's awarding of this medal. There is a physical description of the obverse and reverse designs, and the ribbon. Some notes about Dr. F. K. Mitchell's information about die variation is mentioned (from: Mitchell, F. K., 1955. Sir Harry Smith's Medal for Gallantry. African Notes and News [Africana Aantekeninge En Nuis], Vol XI, No. 7 [June 1955], pp. 236-242. Africana Society, Africana Museum, City of Johannesburg [printed by Cape Times Limited, Johannesburg], that article is reproduced in full here in may post of 23 March, 2021). The Catalogue description incorrectly identifies "Hopkins " as the name of the designer of the medal, although it actually was created by Charles Davidson Bell in 1851. F. K. Mitchell in his 1955 (pp. 237, 239) article attributes the dies to Hopkins as the local (less skilled) die-sinker for this medal in Cape Town. Thomas B. Hopkins is identified as the engraver of 2 silver items in the biography of Charles Davidson Bell (Simons, Phillida Brooke, 1998. The Life and Works of Charles Davidson Bell, Fernwod Press, Vlaeberg, pp. 118, 120). 

 

The Medal Catalogue notes oddly that the obverse is unnamed, although it is the reverse with the space for post-award naming. The Catalogue notes that the reverse "shows a distinct crack in the die". F. K. Mitchell (1955: pg. 238) lists this medal as #12 on the roster of examples he has personally examined (pp. 237-238), describing it as an: "Unnamed medal in the Hunt Collection, S.A. War Museum, Johannesburg". On pg. 239 Mitchell notes that this example has a cracked reverse die, that he assigns to having been made with what he designated as "die number 2" (not a temporal order of the dies, simply a list of at least 2 different obverse dies and 6 different reverse dies he distinguished in the medal examples he studied and the 1 obverse die and 4 reverse dies in the collection of the South African Museum, Cape Town). There is no illustration of this medal in the Catalogue. 

 

This is one of the unnamed silver medals described on page 175 (S. 3. [WM]) of the City of Johannesburg Africana Museum's: Military Medals of South African Interest: An Exhibition of the Collections in the Africana Museum and the South African National War Museum, Johannesburg, Augmented by Special Loans, 22 July-10 August 1957, a typed manuscript made in Johannesburg, 1957, on pp. 174-176. I included that text in my post here of 30 January, 2021. That exhibit catalogue lists 6 Sir Harry Smith medals in the 1957 exhibit: 3 from the Africana Museum (1 unnamed silver, 1 unnamed bronze presumed to be a trial strike without claw or suspender, 1 named to Frs. Meades C.M.R.); the 1 unnamed silver medal from the War Museum; and 2 lent by F. K. Mitchell (1 unnamed silver, 1 named to J. Hassall). 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Rusty Greaves

[Rusty Greaves]

I have not yet seen the illustration on page 112 of the book on the history of  Genadendal, Western Cape Province of South Africa, by Dr. Isaac Bali, the former Director of the Genadendal Mission Museum (Balie, Isaac, 1988. Die Geskiedenis van Genadendal, 1788-1988. Perskor, ISBN: 10:0628032358; ISBN 13: 9780628032355) that numis mentions in his post here of 27 March, 2021. Dr. Balie notes this is the H. Ferara medal. 

 

I came across a short narrative on a Facebook post of 1 July, 2014 of the Genadendal Mission Museum, titled: "A Precious War Medal", probably by Isaac Balie (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=714531638605241&set=a.173747499350327). One of the illustrations on this page is a low-resolution image of the obverse of the Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry, and it is identified as that named to Hendrik Ferara (or Fareira). This photo is probably from page 112 of Balie, Isaac, 1988. Die Geskiedenis van Genadendal, 1788-1988. Perskor. This photo is the same as that which I previously posted as the 1st photo in my post here of April 26, 2022, from: Simons, Phillida Brooke, 1998. The Life and Works of Charles Bell. Fernwod Press, Vlaeberg (the image in the Simons 1998 volume is slightly higher-resolution) on page 5 [Contents] and in a lower-resolution image on page 90 at the beginning of Chapter 6).

 

 

 

Low-resolution image of the obverse of the Hendrik Farer (Fareira) Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry 1851 from the Facebook page of 1 July, 2014 of the Genadendal Mission Museum, titled: "A Precious War Medal (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=714531638605241&set=a.173747499350327). I do not yet know whether the Balie 1988 volume also includes a photo of the reverse of this medal. 

 

 

Above is the photo I posted on 26 April, 2022 that is a slightly better-resolution version of the same photo as above. This illustration comes from pg. 5 of: Simons, Phillida Brooke, 1998. The Life and Works of Charles Bell. Fernwod Press, Vlaeberg. This publication does not identify the source of this photo nor that it is the H. Ferara medal. 

 

Below is a personal narrative, probably of Dr. Isaac Balie, that is an interesting story about finding the Hendrik Ferara (or Fareira) medal: "...In this article, I want to tell the story of how a unique war medal, awarded by governor Sir Harry Smith, was discovered, almost 30 years ago."

 

"During my years of research, I read about how the Cape governor, 1850, Sir Harry Smith was caught in little Fort Cox, not far from King William's Town, by the start of the 8th Frontier War. Attempts were made by a relief column to get through the encircling Zulu warriors, but they were unsuccessful; and at last, in his usual dashing way, took an escort of Cape Mounted Riflemen, and successfully rode the gauntlet to King William's Town. The gallant acts performed by these men who came to his rescue, made a deep impression on the governor. He decided to show his high regard for these men by having silver medals struck and presented to them - many of them Genadendal soldiers ! The historical significance is that they were the first medals ever worn by South African war veterans."

 

"What happened to these medals; and are they hidden somewhere in cupboards or drawers, I asked myself. Then one day I came across archival documentation that said that Hendrik Ferara, Johannes Jass and Lodewyk Kleinhans were three of these soldiers who fought under the banner of the Cape Mounted Riflemen at the Eastern Frontier. Out of my own genealogical research, I knew that Hendrik Ferara (Fareira) was my great-grandmother’s brother. This made me more desperate to deepen my research. I set myself the task of interviewing most senior citizens of the local community during the early 70's. After some time an elderly uncle of mine gave me the last hope when he mentioned that he was told that a German bishop collected medals during the early 20th century and took them with him to Germany, but the bishop also took some photographs of these precious decorations.- to my surprise my uncle showed me a photograph of the Ferara medal, but sadly the actual medal landed in the hands of a Genadendal constable, John West, of Irish decent. No one could give further information about West, until I published a book on Genadendal’s history in 1988 and the photographic image (on page 112 ) shows the Farara medal. Later that year I met the grandson of constable West, a farmer in the area, who told me that he was in possession of the medal and that he was prepared to hand it over to me." (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=714531638605241&set=a.173747499350327). 

 

Parts of the history of the Ferara medal also are recounted on pg. 241 of  Dr. F. K. Mitchell's 1955 article ( Mitchell, F. K., 1955. Sir Harry Smith's Medal for Gallantry: 1955. African Notes and News (Africana Aantekeninge En Nuis), Vol XI, No. 7 (June 1955), pp. 236-242. Africana Society, Africana Museum, City of Johannesburg (printed by Cape Times Limited, Johannesburg):), reproduced on this thread in full in my post of 23 March, 2021. 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Rusty Greaves

[Rusty Greaves]

Here is the illustration of the named Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry to Hendrick Ferara. This is the illustration from page 112 of: Balie, Isaac, 1988f. Die Geskiedenis van Genadendal, 1788-1988. Perskor, Johannesburgh.

 

 

 

Upper image = reverse with engraved name: "HENDRICK FERARA" and flourishes; lower image = obverse, (from Balie, Isaac 1988, pg 112). 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Rusty Greaves

[Rusty Greaves]

The Isaac Balie, 1988 pg 112 Afrikaans text associated with the photos of the Hendrick Ferara medal also has a brief mention of two other recipients of the Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry: Sgt. Lodewyk Kleinhans and Sgt.-Maj. Johannes Jass. Their identification as recipients of Sir Harry Smith medals also was recounted by Dr. F. K. Mitchel on page 241 of his 1955 article: Sir Harry Smith's Medal for Gallantry. African Notes and News (Africana Aantekeninge En Nuis), Vol XI, No. 7 (June 1955), pp. 236-242. Africana Society, Africana Museum, City of Johannesburg (printed by Cape Times Limited, Johannesburg). Mitchell obtained information from the documents he called the "Diary of Genadendal" and possibly the "Periodical Accounts" (likely at least partly by Rev. L. R. Schmidt) about Rev. Schmidt's search for the Kleinhans and Jass medals. Balie's (1988) short note about these recipients mentioned that many of the Sir Harry Smith Medals for Gallantry went to "browns", but it is unclear if Kleinhans, Jass, and Hendricks were all considered of mixed ethnicity. Mitchell (1955) writes that the family of Sgt. Lodewyk Kleinhans told Rev L. R. Schmidt (of the Moravian Mission in Genadendal) that Kleinhans' medal was sold many years ago. Rev. Schmidty also interviewed the son of Sgt.-Maj. Johannes Jass who gave it to "his old missionary" (George Schmidt?) at Genadendal in approximately1894 and that it was then taken to the Museum of the Moravian Headquarters in Herrenhut, Germany, but was lost sometime during WWII. Schmidt did locate the owner of the Ferara medal (a woman whose father was a policeman and bought the medal from Ferara's daughter about 1900). Ferara was not mentioned as a recipient of this medal in the Mission documents, but was identified as having joined the Levies for the Kaffir Wars. Isaac's own narrative (quoted in my post here of 28 June) discusses the identification of the Genadendal constable who purchased the Hendrick's medal as John West, whose grandson apparently gave it to the Genadnedal Mission Museum(?).  

Edited July 6, 2023 by Rusty Greaves

[numis]

Thank you Rusty for the further very valuable research and information since my last thank you to you

What would you think about my contention that ( based on the similar double strikings around the rims ) the Roets and Ferara medals are both from the same striking batch ?

Numis

 

[Rusty Greaves]

Numis, I do not think I know enough about the process of striking medals, and the diversity of doublestrike error issues to know whether these rim marks suggest they came from the same batch (would this be one of the kinds of horizontal misalignments?). Again, perhaps because of my unfamiliarity with the mechanics of these misalignments, I would have thought that these rim errors are likely to be idiosyncratic and not that useful as diagnostic indictors of temporally associated strikings. In the better quality photos I have seen and reproduced here it appears that often the rims of both the obverse and reverse show misalignments of both the hammer and anvil dies (dual misalignments?). I don’t know if these striking errors seen on several Sir Harry Smith Medals are due to loose dies or the ejection system. Given how many other SHS Medals show similar rim errors, I wonder if these are just the result of the problematic striking process for these medals but cannot be used to define any particular manufacturing event. F. K. Mitchell (1955, pg. 239) certainly feels that poor workmanship is evident on the sinking of the dies. He also lists the use of cracked dies (Mitchell identifies “die 2” used on 4 unnamed medals as cracked, is this the die used for all of the surviving medals that show a cracked reverse die, are either of reverse dies he labels “5” and “6” cracked?), variation in the thickness of the medals, and the frequency of doublestrikes to support his inference that the less skilled manufacture likely indicates that the medals were struck in Cape Town. The lettering of both the Roots and Ferara clearly shows similar proportional differences in the smaller lettering of …”IN THE...” on the reverse, indicating they probably were struck with the same dies (Mitchell’s obverse die 1 and reverse die 3, 1955, pg. 238). 

 

Below is my summary of the rim misalignments and doublestrikes that can be seen on the photographs I have included in this thread. These photos range from very high-resolution to very poor images. I have included brief discussions of all the named and unnamed examples I’ve previously posted, but left out those represented only by drawings (the Difford 1920 pg. 14 illustration of an unnamed medal, that was probably based on the Meades example, in my post of 17 March, 2021; the illustration from Irwin 1910, Plate XVIII of an unnamed medal shown as the 1st image in my post of 20 September, 2022, is this a drawing or a very poor quality photo illustration?), or with photos so poor that nothing can be seen (the unnamed example from a 1999 DNW auction [Lot 32] shown as the 4th image in my post of 13 March, 2021; the obverse image in the Simons 1998 volume, pg. 5 shown as the 1st image in my post of 26 April, 2022 and as the 2nd photo in my post of 28 June, 2023; the even lower-resolution version of this same photo from Balie 1988, pg. 112, shown in the 1st photo that same post of 28 June, 2023; the very poor photo of the Duncan medal from the City Coins 2005 auction shown in my post of 20 April, 2023; and the unnamed example from the 1991 Buckland, Dix and Wood auction catalog, shown in my post of 19 November, 2022). I have ordered the information below first to address your question numis about the Roots and Farera medals. Next, I have presented my impressions about the doublestrikes/misalignments in relation to the better-quality photos I have found ending with the lowest resolution images. I have titled each paragraph according to the Mitchell 1955 die identifications, as that is still the most complete published listing available. 

 

Obverse die 1 and reverse die 3: As noted, in the better photos available online and from the few published sources I have consulted, two medals appear to be struck from reverse die 3 that has the larger lettering apparent in the lowermost inscription “…IN THE…” of the “For Gallantry in the Field”: the Girt Roots medal and Hendrick Ferara medal. Mitchell (1955 pg. 238) also lists the David Faroe medal (from the Port Elizabeth Museum) and Piet Jan Cornelis medal (from the Burton Collection) as representing reverse die 3. The high-resolution photo of the Girt Roots’ medal (shown in the 3rd photo of my post on this thread of 12 December, 2020 and the 1st photo in my post of 1 May, 2022) shows this rim error from approximately the 11:00 position to 5:00 on the obverse and from the ~1:30 position to ~5:00. The lower-resolution image of the Hendrick Ferara medal (shown in my recent post of 5 July, 2023) shows misalignment on the rim of the obverse from ~9:00-5:00, and on the reverse from ~1:00-8:00. 

 

Obverse die 1 (?) and unspecified reverse die: The high-resolution picture of the unnamed medal from a 2014 DNW auction, Lot 618, (shown in the 3rd photos of my post of 13 March, 2021 and in the 2nd image of my post of 26 April, 2022) shows lettering of the reverse lower inscription (For Gallantry in the Field) with “…IN THE…” similarly proportioned to the Roots and Ferara medals, but lacking the full stop after “FIELD.” (visible on the Ferara medal but obscured on the Roots medal by a later soldered brooch attachment, however numbs you are confident that the Roots medal was struck using reverse die 3). Mitchell only identifies reverse dies 2 and 3 as having this larger lettering. Numis, what is your opinion about the authenticity and potential reverse die for this medal? The rim of the DNW medal (obverse and reverse) shows no apparent rim misalignment. However, the upper inscription on the reverse may show a doublestrike in “PRESENTED…” (or poor quality die sinking executing this word?) and possibly in the “FI” of “FIELD” in the lower legend. The unnamed example from a September, 2019 auction by Collectors Investment (shown as the 6th and 7th photos in my post of 30 January, 2021) archived on the Bid or Buy website (their name now changed to "bobshop"; product code:IL1225 [L/C]; bobshop Id: 433963525), also matches the reverse lower inscription proportions of "...IN THE..." and lack of a full stop after "...FIELD." as seen on the DNW Lot 618 medal. I have often been skeptical of this medal's authenticity because of the replacement suspension rings and as it remained unsold in that 2019 auction. However, numis lists it as a medal he has seen images of and expresses no concerns about its authenticity in his post of 16 December, 2020. Although the images of this heavily worn medal are of moderately good-resolution, I cannot see any indication of rim misalignment or incontrovertible doublestrikes on those photos. As with the DNW example, there maybe some irregularities in the upper inscription letters of "PRESENTED..." and possibly some indications of a doublestrike visible above the "PRESE...". The photo is not sharp enough, however, to confirm that possibility. 

 

Obverse die 1 and reverse die 2 (cracked): Good-poor photos online can be identified representing the same cracked reverse die (Mitchell’s reverse die 2?). These include the Thomas Dicks, Paul Arendt, Lt Edward Lister Green medal, and an unnamed medal from a 2016 Baldwins auction. Mitchell (1955, pg 238) lists the John McVarrie medal (no provenience recorded) and three unnamed medals that he identified as produced by obverse die 1 and reverse cracked die 2. He has a tentative assignment of one unnamed medal to the uncracked reverse die 2. The high-resolution photo of the Thos. Dicks medal (shown in the 1st photos in my post of 13 March, 2021, in a lower-resolution image that is the 2nd photos in that same post, and as the 3rd photo in my post of 26 April, 2022) shows clearly the doublestrike on the laurel wreath above the lion, above the lion’s head, and on the rim between the ~12:15 to probably the 6:15 position and possibly at the 8:30-9:00 position of the obverse. The reverse of that medal (seen in the 13 March 2021 post and the 3rd photo of my post of 1 May, 2022 and the 2 images in the 13 March 2021 post) shows the doublestrike (or triple?) on the upper legend (“…ENTED BY”), the 2 lines of middle inscription (“…EXCELLCY” and “…BART G.C.B”), and probably some of the lower legend (“…NTRY IN THE FIELD”). The misalignment of the rim from is visible from 12:00 extending maybe to the 8:00 position. This photo also provides the best online image of the crack in the die between the ~10:00-11:00 position, indicting it is probably Mitchell’s reverse die 2. This usefully helps identify 3 other SHS medals I have illustrated here as possessing the same crack configuration (as some of those photos do not show it as clearly as on the Dicks medal). The low-resolution online images and cleaned condition of the Paul Arendt medal (see the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd photos in my post of 30 January, 2021) makes the rim errors a bit harder to see. However, it appears to exhibit it from the ~1:30-6:15 position on the obverse and possibly from the 12:00 to ~10:00 position on the reverse. Although not a good photo, it also shows the same crack on the reverse as can be more readily seen on the Dicks medal. It is hard to tell from the low-resolution image of the Lt E. L. Green medal (see the 4th and 5th photos in my post of 30 January, 2021 and first 2 photos in my post of 28 September, 2022) whether there is any misalignment of the rim on the obverse. The equally poor photo of the reverse may show some irregularity in the width of the rim or misalignment from the ~10:30 to 6:00 positions. The crack in the die also is visible indicating it was struck with the same die as the Dicks and Arendt medals. An unnamed medal from a 3 May, 2016 auction (98) by Baldwins (Lot 2029) also shows the use of this same cracked reverse die (shown in the 2nd photo of my post of 12 December, 2020). The low-resolution photo of this unnamed medal probably shows misalignment of the entire obverse rim. I cannot tell if there is evidence of a doublestrike in the upper inscription of the reverse, but guided by the Dicks medal, the outline of the reverse die crack is quite apparent. 

 

Obverse die 1 and reverse die 1: Mitchell (1955, pg. 238) identifies the J. Hassall medal (shown in the Mitchell 1955 article Plate 1, reproduced in my post of 23 March, 2021, in a cropped version of that photo is the 2nd image in my post of 29 September, 2022, and in a very low-resolution plate from the Irwin 1910 publication shown in the 1st image of that same post of 29 September, 2022) that he had in his personal collection as having been produced by obverse die 1 and reverse die 1. He also identifies the Frs. Meade C.M.R. medal (in the Africana Museum) and an unnamed example as having also been made with these dies. I have only seen drawings of the obverse and reverse of the Meades medal that cannot identify any striking errors. (see the illustration from Tancred 1891, pg. 356 in my post of 13 April, 2022). The two low-resolution images of the Hassall medal I have posted here do not clearly show rim misalignments and are not detailed enough to determine whether there are any doublestrikes. 

 

Obverse die 1 and unspecified reverse die: The moderate-resolution Spink image of the John Keiberg medal (see the 1st photo of my post of 12 December, 2020 and the 2nd photo in my post of 1 May 2022) appears to show rim misalignment on the obverse possibly of the entire rim circumference. I am labelling this as obverse die 1, although there is no confirmation from Mitchell or others, as it does have the “HOPKINS” name underneath the veld sculpture and according to Mitchell’s inventory, only obverse die 2 lacks this name. The reverse of the Keiberg medal looks as though it exhibits a doublestrike affecting at least the “PRES...” of the upper legend and misalignment of the rim between the 2:15 and 6:00 positions. I am not familiar enough with the proportion letter differences in spacing and size to distinguish whether this clearly represents reverse die 1 and there are no comparative photo images available to me for comparison with reverse dies 4 (which you are skeptical of), 5, or 6. 

 

 

Edited July 14, 2023 by Rusty Greaves

[Graf]

On 15/07/2023 at 06:28, Rusty Greaves said:

Numis, I do not think I know enough about the process of striking medals, and the diversity of doublestrike error issues to know whether these rim marks suggest they came from the same batch (would this be one of the kinds of horizontal misalignments?). Again, perhaps because of my unfamiliarity with the mechanics of these misalignments, I would have thought that these rim errors are likely to be idiosyncratic and not that useful as diagnostic indictors of temporally associated strikings. In the better quality photos I have seen and reproduced here it appears that often the rims of both the obverse and reverse show misalignments of both the hammer and anvil dies (dual misalignments?). I don’t know if these striking errors seen on several Sir Harry Smith Medals are due to loose dies or the ejection system. Given how many other SHS Medals show similar rim errors, I wonder if these are just the result of the problematic striking process for these medals but cannot be used to define any particular manufacturing event. F. K. Mitchell (1955, pg. 239) certainly feels that poor workmanship is evident on the sinking of the dies. He also lists the use of cracked dies (Mitchell identifies “die 2” used on 4 unnamed medals as cracked, is this the die used for all of the surviving medals that show a cracked reverse die, are either of reverse dies he labels “5” and “6” cracked?), variation in the thickness of the medals, and the frequency of doublestrikes to support his inference that the less skilled manufacture likely indicates that the medals were struck in Cape Town. The lettering of both the Roots and Ferara clearly shows similar proportional differences in the smaller lettering of …”IN THE...” on the reverse, indicating they probably were struck with the same dies (Mitchell’s obverse die 1 and reverse die 3, 1955, pg. 238). 

 

Below is my summary of the rim misalignments and doublestrikes that can be seen on the photographs I have included in this thread. These photos range from very high-resolution to very poor images. I have included brief discussions of all the named and unnamed examples I’ve previously posted, but left out those represented only by drawings (the Difford 1920 pg. 14 illustration of an unnamed medal, that was probably based on the Meades example, in my post of 17 March, 2021; the illustration from Irwin 1910, Plate XVIII of an unnamed medal shown as the 1st image in my post of 20 September, 2022, is this a drawing or a very poor quality photo illustration?), or with photos so poor that nothing can be seen (the unnamed example from a 1999 DNW auction [Lot 32] shown as the 4th image in my post of 13 March, 2021; the obverse image in the Simons 1998 volume, pg. 5 shown as the 1st image in my post of 26 April, 2022 and as the 2nd photo in my post of 28 June, 2023; the even lower-resolution version of this same photo from Balie 1988, pg. 112, shown in the 1st photo that same post of 28 June, 2023; the very poor photo of the Duncan medal from the City Coins 2005 auction shown in my post of 20 April, 2023; and the unnamed example from the 1991 Buckland, Dix and Wood auction catalog, shown in my post of 19 November, 2022). I have ordered the information below first to address your question numis about the Roots and Farera medals. Next, I have presented my impressions about the doublestrikes/misalignments in relation to the better-quality photos I have found ending with the lowest resolution images. I have titled each paragraph according to the Mitchell 1955 die identifications, as that is still the most complete published listing available. 

 

Obverse die 1 and reverse die 3: As noted, in the better photos available online and from the few published sources I have consulted, two medals appear to be struck from reverse die 3 that has the larger lettering apparent in the lowermost inscription “…IN THE…” of the “For Gallantry in the Field”: the Girt Roots medal and Hendrick Ferara medal. Mitchell (1955 pg. 238) also lists the David Faroe medal (from the Port Elizabeth Museum) and Piet Jan Cornelis medal (from the Burton Collection) as representing reverse die 3. The high-resolution photo of the Girt Roots’ medal (shown in the 3rd photo of my post on this thread of 12 December, 2020 and the 1st photo in my post of 1 May, 2022) shows this rim error from approximately the 11:00 position to 5:00 on the obverse and from the ~1:30 position to ~5:00. The lower-resolution image of the Hendrick Ferara medal (shown in my recent post of 5 July, 2023) shows misalignment on the rim of the obverse from ~9:00-5:00, and on the reverse from ~1:00-8:00. 

 

Obverse die 1 (?) and unspecified reverse die: The high-resolution picture of the unnamed medal from a 2014 DNW auction, Lot 618, (shown in the 3rd photos of my post of 13 March, 2021 and in the 2nd image of my post of 26 April, 2022) shows lettering of the reverse lower inscription (For Gallantry in the Field) with “…IN THE…” similarly proportioned to the Roots and Ferara medals, but lacking the full stop after “FIELD.” (visible on the Ferara medal but obscured on the Roots medal by a later soldered brooch attachment, however numbs you are confident that the Roots medal was struck using reverse die 3). Mitchell only identifies reverse dies 2 and 3 as having this larger lettering. Numis, what is your opinion about the authenticity and potential reverse die for this medal? The rim of the DNW medal (obverse and reverse) shows no apparent rim misalignment. However, the upper inscription on the reverse may show a doublestrike in “PRESENTED…” (or poor quality die sinking executing this word?) and possibly in the “FI” of “FIELD” in the lower legend. The unnamed example from a September, 2019 auction by Collectors Investment (shown as the 6th and 7th photos in my post of 30 January, 2021) archived on the Bid or Buy website (their name now changed to "bobshop"; product code:IL1225 [L/C]; bobshop Id: 433963525), also matches the reverse lower inscription proportions of "...IN THE..." and lack of a full stop after "...FIELD." as seen on the DNW Lot 618 medal. I have often been skeptical of this medal's authenticity because of the replacement suspension rings and as it remained unsold in that 2019 auction. However, numis lists it as a medal he has seen images of and expresses no concerns about its authenticity in his post of 16 December, 2020. Although the images of this heavily worn medal are of moderately good-resolution, I cannot see any indication of rim misalignment or incontrovertible doublestrikes on those photos. As with the DNW example, there maybe some irregularities in the upper inscription letters of "PRESENTED..." and possibly some indications of a doublestrike visible above the "PRESE...". The photo is not sharp enough, however, to confirm that possibility. 

 

Obverse die 1 and reverse die 2 (cracked): Good-poor photos online can be identified representing the same cracked reverse die (Mitchell’s reverse die 2?). These include the Thomas Dicks, Paul Arendt, Lt Edward Lister Green medal, and an unnamed medal from a 2016 Baldwins auction. Mitchell (1955, pg 238) lists the John McVarrie medal (no provenience recorded) and three unnamed medals that he identified as produced by obverse die 1 and reverse cracked die 2. He has a tentative assignment of one unnamed medal to the uncracked reverse die 2. The high-resolution photo of the Thos. Dicks medal (shown in the 1st photos in my post of 13 March, 2021, in a lower-resolution image that is the 2nd photos in that same post, and as the 3rd photo in my post of 26 April, 2022) shows clearly the doublestrike on the laurel wreath above the lion, above the lion’s head, and on the rim between the ~12:15 to probably the 6:15 position and possibly at the 8:30-9:00 position of the obverse. The reverse of that medal (seen in the 13 March 2021 post and the 3rd photo of my post of 1 May, 2022 and the 2 images in the 13 March 2021 post) shows the doublestrike (or triple?) on the upper legend (“…ENTED BY”), the 2 lines of middle inscription (“…EXCELLCY” and “…BART G.C.B”), and probably some of the lower legend (“…NTRY IN THE FIELD”). The misalignment of the rim from is visible from 12:00 extending maybe to the 8:00 position. This photo also provides the best online image of the crack in the die between the ~10:00-11:00 position, indicting it is probably Mitchell’s reverse die 2. This usefully helps identify 3 other SHS medals I have illustrated here as possessing the same crack configuration (as some of those photos do not show it as clearly as on the Dicks medal). The low-resolution online images and cleaned condition of the Paul Arendt medal (see the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd photos in my post of 30 January, 2021) makes the rim errors a bit harder to see. However, it appears to exhibit it from the ~1:30-6:15 position on the obverse and possibly from the 12:00 to ~10:00 position on the reverse. Although not a good photo, it also shows the same crack on the reverse as can be more readily seen on the Dicks medal. It is hard to tell from the low-resolution image of the Lt E. L. Green medal (see the 4th and 5th photos in my post of 30 January, 2021 and first 2 photos in my post of 28 September, 2022) whether there is any misalignment of the rim on the obverse. The equally poor photo of the reverse may show some irregularity in the width of the rim or misalignment from the ~10:30 to 6:00 positions. The crack in the die also is visible indicating it was struck with the same die as the Dicks and Arendt medals. An unnamed medal from a 3 May, 2016 auction (98) by Baldwins (Lot 2029) also shows the use of this same cracked reverse die (shown in the 2nd photo of my post of 12 December, 2020). The low-resolution photo of this unnamed medal probably shows misalignment of the entire obverse rim. I cannot tell if there is evidence of a doublestrike in the upper inscription of the reverse, but guided by the Dicks medal, the outline of the reverse die crack is quite apparent. 

 

Obverse die 1 and reverse die 1: Mitchell (1955, pg. 238) identifies the J. Hassall medal (shown in the Mitchell 1955 article Plate 1, reproduced in my post of 23 March, 2021, in a cropped version of that photo is the 2nd image in my post of 29 September, 2022, and in a very low-resolution plate from the Irwin 1910 publication shown in the 1st image of that same post of 29 September, 2022) that he had in his personal collection as having been produced by obverse die 1 and reverse die 1. He also identifies the Frs. Meade C.M.R. medal (in the Africana Museum) and an unnamed example as having also been made with these dies. I have only seen drawings of the obverse and reverse of the Meades medal that cannot identify any striking errors. (see the illustration from Tancred 1891, pg. 356 in my post of 13 April, 2022). The two low-resolution images of the Hassall medal I have posted here do not clearly show rim misalignments and are not detailed enough to determine whether there are any doublestrikes. 

 

Obverse die 1 and unspecified reverse die: The moderate-resolution Spink image of the John Keiberg medal (see the 1st photo of my post of 12 December, 2020 and the 2nd photo in my post of 1 May 2022) appears to show rim misalignment on the obverse possibly of the entire rim circumference. I am labelling this as obverse die 1, although there is no confirmation from Mitchell or others, as it does have the “HOPKINS” name underneath the veld sculpture and according to Mitchell’s inventory, only obverse die 2 lacks this name. The reverse of the Keiberg medal looks as though it exhibits a doublestrike affecting at least the “PRES...” of the upper legend and misalignment of the rim between the 2:15 and 6:00 positions. I am not familiar enough with the proportion letter differences in spacing and size to distinguish whether this clearly represents reverse die 1 and there are no comparative photo images available to me for comparison with reverse dies 4 (which you are skeptical of), 5, or 6. 

 

 

Hi Rusty, Thank you for all this interesting information

[numis]

A belated thank you to Rusty for all this additional , excellent , information and analysis

Rusty's observational skills are far beyond mine so I am doubtful that i can add anything useful to his excellent analysis

I do think that the Roots medal is a reverse die 3 as is Ferara's

It is a great pity that those who own or have details of other SHS Medals have not yet posted them  onto 

this thread as every additional photo of good quality could potentially add something of value to this study .

Numis

[numis]

OFFICIAL NATURE OF THIS MEDAL 

Wikipedia ( when last seen ) and others have categorized this medal as being " unofficial " 

I disagree 

Sir H.Smith was the Governor of ( Queen's representative in  ), and Commander-in-Chief in , the Cape Colony .

After post facto  investigation , the War Office in London accepted the  bona fides of the medal and authorised it's costs  being charged to Colonial Funds and the Secretary of State for the Colonies apparently accorded

The aforementioned make it an " official " award in my eyes 

ACTUAL NUMBER AWARDED

G.Everson in an article on this medal stated that Charles Brownlee in " Reminiscences of Kaffir Life and History " had stated that  TWELVE SHS Medals had been awarded to troops who distinguished themselves

Is it not possible that Brownlee was accurate ?

If yes, known medals in excess of this number can perhaps be attributed to less being awarded than originally had been struck and also to  later restrikes from the dies ( which are know to have survived ) with some fraudulent naming up of some of these medals 

[numis]

There is , or was , an unnamed specimen of the SHS Medal in the Honeyman Collection at the Natural History Museum, Los Angeles .Refer the published catalogue of this collection 

[numis]

The Honeyman collection specimen is still there but they cannot provide scans until Fall 2024 

 

The RE Museum can provide scans of the ( probably wonky ) Dunning Medal but will levy a charge for a scan for own use and a higher charge for a scan for posting online.

My meagre research budget and the hassles and costs of obtaining foreign currency ( using  overdevalued ZAR ) and sending a bank draft have dissuaded me from following up with them on this 

[numis]

The following is a quote from the C.P. Brownlee book " Reminiscences of Kafir Life and History " (page 286 2nd edition 1916 😞
"During the whole of the war , from December 1850 to March 1853 , Fundi and the twentyfour men of the police force who remained faithful to the Government , rendered valuable service .One of them was killed , two others were wounded , and in consideration of his gallant conduct HE WAS AWARDED ONE OF TWELVE MEDALS GRANTED BY SIR HARRY SMITH TO MEN WHO HAD DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES IN THE FIELD " ( NB Capitals are mine )  

The reference is to FUNDI who was orderly to Commandant Davis of the Native Police , HQ'd at Fort Hare , which had an enrollment of 250 in 1846, most of whom later deserted in 1850

[numis]

My gut feel after studying the available information is that the most likely to be original contemporary awarded specimens 

are those which have the combination of Obverse die 1 and Reverse die 3 and which are named to recipients with indigenous sounding names 

So far I have recorded 4 in this category .

These are those awarded / named to : 

Piet Jan Cornelis : disc only ( lacking supension ) .Amathole Museum

David Faroe : disc only ( lacking suspension ) .Was in the PE Museum in 2018 .Is it still ?

Hendrick Ferara . Complete with suspension .Genadendal Museum 

Girt Roots : disc only ( lacking suspension) ;  previously had a ( now removed ) brooch-pin suspension attached to the reverse  In a private collection 

[Rusty Greaves]

I recently looked over the photo of the reverse of the unnamed Sir Harry Smith medal from a 11 December, 2014 auction by Dix Noonan Webb (Lot: 618) that I initially included as the 3rd photo in my post here of 13 March, 2021. I did not previously noticed an apparent indication of a crack, or other flaw, in the reverse of that example, but did see it while checking a reposting of the Dix Noonan Webb photo on the Numista website (https://en.numista.com/catalogue/exonumia413442.html). I also previously illustrated the obverse of this unnamed example as the 2nd photo in my post of 26 April, 2022 because it shows well the name “Hopkins”, the apparent die sinker who executed the Charles Davidson Bell design of this medal, underneath the strip of veld the lion where the lion stands. 

 

 

 

Above is the high-resolution image of the reverse of this Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry 1851, cropped from the Dix Noonan Webb 11 December, 2014 auction listing (Lot 618), still archived on the Noonans Mayfair website: https://www.noonans.co.uk/auctions/archive/lot-archive/results/258354/. This image can be zoomed for additional details of the flaw. The reverse appears to show a crack I had not seen before. This anomaly extends from the inferior right rim in the ~4:30 position through the “F” in FIELD” and arcs through the lower left margin of the “B” in “BART.”, through the upper portion of the “H” in “SMITH”, and is offset through the top of the “T” in “SMITH”. If this is a crack, I’m surprised it does not seem to have affected the letters much (unlike the crack in the 10:30 position on the reverse of the Thos. Dicks medal, shown well in the 3rd photo in my post here of 1 May, 2022; that same cracked die was also used to strike the medals named to Paul Arendt, Edward Lister Green, and an unnamed medal from the 2016 Baldwins auction). There is some possible effect on  the “ F” and maybe the left top of the “T”.  This flaw is not seen on any of the other photos I have looked at of other  Sir Harry Smith Medals for Gallantry 1851. I don’t know if this identifies another reverse die or if it may be a subsequent crack in a die used previously to strike the reverse of other medals that have been illustrated on this thread and examined by Dr. F. K. Mitchell (Mitchell, F. K., 1955. Sir Harry Smith’s Medal for Gallantry: 1851. Africana Notes and News [Africana Aantekeninge En Nuus] Vol Xi, No. 7: 236-242. Africana Society, Africana Museum, City of Johannesburg (Printed by Cape Times Limited, Johannesburg, see my post here of 23 May, 2021). As noted, because this irregularity does not affect most of the letters, I would appreciate other opinions about whether this is a crack, some other kind of defect in the die, or a striking error.

 

Edited July 16 by Rusty Greaves

[Graf]

On 16/07/2024 at 03:33, Rusty Greaves said:

I recently looked over the photo of the reverse of the unnamed Sir Harry Smith medal from a 11 December, 2014 auction by Dix Noonan Webb (Lot: 618) that I initially included as the 3rd photo in my post here of 13 March, 2021. I did not previously noticed an apparent indication of a crack, or other flaw, in the reverse of that example, but did see it while checking a reposting of the Dix Noonan Webb photo on the Numista website (https://en.numista.com/catalogue/exonumia413442.html). I also previously illustrated the obverse of this unnamed example as the 2nd photo in my post of 26 April, 2022 because it shows well the name “Hopkins”, the apparent die sinker who executed the Charles Davidson Bell design of this medal, underneath the strip of veld the lion where the lion stands. 

 

 

 

Above is the high-resolution image of the reverse of this Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry 1851, cropped from the Dix Noonan Webb 11 December, 2014 auction listing (Lot 618), still archived on the Noonans Mayfair website: https://www.noonans.co.uk/auctions/archive/lot-archive/results/258354/. This image can be zoomed for additional details of the flaw. The reverse appears to show a crack I had not seen before. This anomaly extends from the inferior right rim in the ~4:30 position through the “F” in FIELD” and arcs through the lower left margin of the “B” in “BART.”, through the upper portion of the “H” in “SMITH”, and is offset through the top of the “T” in “SMITH”. If this is a crack, I’m surprised it does not seem to have affected the letters much (unlike the crack in the 10:30 position on the reverse of the Thos. Dicks medal, shown well in the 3rd photo in my post here of 1 May, 2022; that same cracked die was also used to strike the medals named to Paul Arendt, Edward Lister Green, and an unnamed medal from the 2016 Baldwins auction). There is some possible effect on  the “ F” and maybe the left top of the “T”.  This flaw is not seen on any of the other photos I have looked at of other  Sir Harry Smith Medals for Gallantry 1851. I don’t know if this identifies another reverse die or if it may be a subsequent crack in a die used previously to strike the reverse of other medals that have been illustrated on this thread and examined by Dr. F. K. Mitchell (Mitchell, F. K., 1955. Sir Harry Smith’s Medal for Gallantry: 1851. Africana Notes and News [Africana Aantekeninge En Nuus] Vol Xi, No. 7: 236-242. Africana Society, Africana Museum, City of Johannesburg (Printed by Cape Times Limited, Johannesburg, see my post here of 23 May, 2021). As noted, because this irregularity does not affect most of the letters, I would appreciate other opinions about whether this is a crack, some other kind of defect in the die, or a striking error.

 

In my opinion it is defect in the die I do not think  it is a crack