Australian Historical Medals

Lot 1235    SESSION 4 (Wednesday 11.30am)    Australian Historical Medals

Estimate $5,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $5,000

A GROUP OF THIRTY TWO AWARD MEDALS, Australian and overseas, to the Seppelts family, dated 1870 - 1980, including Agricultural Society of New South Wales (2) in bronze (90mm) first medal inscribed on rev. 'Awarded to / J.E.Seppelt / Class 800 / No.2284 / 1870'; second medal inscribed on rev. 'Awarded to / B.Seppelt / Syrup / Class 534 / 1873'; Sydney International Exhibition, 1879, in bronze (77mm) inscribed on rev. 'Awarded / With Three / Certificates / of Merit / to B.Seppelt / of Seppeltsfield / South Australia / Distiller Wine / and Cordial / Manufacturer'; Adelaide, 1881, in bronze (30mm) inscribed on rev. 'Awarded to / B.Seppelt'; Colonial and Indian Exhibition, London, 1886, in bronze (53mm) inscribed around edge 'Awarded to Benno Seppelt - Seppeltsfield for Wine Exhibits'; New Zealand & South Seas Exhibition, Dunedin, 1925-6, (2)(51mm) in gilt, first medal inscribed on rev. 'Awarded to / B.Seppelt & Sons / for / Sparkling Burgundy'; second medal inscribed on rev. 'Awarded to / B.Seppelt & Sons / for / Sparkling Hock'; Brewers & Allied Traders International Exhibition & Market, (4, 3 with cases of issue) (45mm) first medal in gold (hallmarked 9ct) inscribed on rev. '1926 / Colonial Wine / Competition / B.Seppelt & Sons Ltd / 1st Prize / Champagne'; second medal gold plated silver, inscribed on rev. 1928 / Empire Wine / Competition / B.Seppelt & Sons Ltd / 1st Prize for / Sparkling Burgundy / Sparkling Hock / and Champagne'; third medal gold plated silver, inscribed on rev. '1931 / Empire Wine / Competition / B.Seppelt & Sons Ltd / 1st Prize for / Sparkling Burgundy / and Sparkling Hock'; fourth medal in gold plated silver, inscribed on rev. '1933 / Empire Wine / Competition / B.Seppelt & Sons Ltd / 1st Prize for / Imperial Reserve / Sparkling Hock and / Sparkling Burgundy'; South Australian Chamber of Manufacture, All Australian Exhibition, 1930, in silver (3) (51mm) first medal inscibed on rev. Awarded to / B.Seppelt & Sons Ltd / Brandy'; second inscribed 'Awarded to / B.Seppelt & Sons Ltd / Sparkling / Burgundy'; third inscribed on rev. 'Awarded to / B.Seppelt & Sons Ltd / Port Wine'; also one medal in bronze (51mm) with box of issue, medal inscribed on rev. 'Awarded to / B.Seppelt & Sons / Ltd / Sweet Sherry'; The Royal Agricultural Society of N.S.W., Royal Easter Show, 1951, (63mm octogonal) oxidised, inscribed on rev. 'Ch.Hock / B.Seppelt and Sons Ltd'; The British Bottlers Institute, Award for Excellence, (2) in gilt (58mm), first medal inscribed on rev. 'B.Seppelt & Sons Ltd / Sherry Type - Australian / London / 1958'; second medal inscribed on rev. B.Seppelt & Sons Ltd / Port Type - Australia / London / 1958'; Slovenia, Mednarodni Vinski Sejem, Ljubjana, uninscribed medals (57mm), 1962, silvered bronze [2] and gilt brass, 1963, gilt brass and bronze, 1964, silvered bronze, 1966, silvered bronze [2] and gilt brass [3], 1980, gilt brass; Hungary, Concours International des Vins, 1964 (60mm) oxidised and gilt brass, uninscribed. First four medals cleaned, fine - extremely fine. (32)

John Ernst Seppelt, born 1813 in Silesia, came to Australia in 1850 with his wife and children and settled in Klemzig (South Australia). In 1851 he built Seppeltsfield where he initially grew tobacco, wheat and vines. He constructed a winery plant in the mid 1860s which after his death in 1868 was taken over by his eldest son Benno. By 1875 Benno Seppelt had an estate of 560 acres and had enlarged the cellars, in 1877 he built a new distillery. By 1900 the estate extended to 1500 acres and had subsidiary industries including vinegar, cordial, liqueur and perfume production. On his retirement in 1916 his son Oscar Benno Seppelt (1873-1963) took over as managing director and continued the expansion of the business purchasing Chateau Tanunda and in 1918 the Great Western vineyards in Victoria as well as acquiring land in Barooga, N.S.W. and commencing winemaking in Rutherglen, Victoria. Oscar Benno Seppelt was also involved in trade organisations, representing the South Australian Vinegrowers Association at the first meeting of the Federal Viticultural Council of Australia in 1918. He was president of the council 1938-39, chairman of the Wholesale Winemakers' and Brandy Distillers' Association 1931-39 as well as being president of the South Australian Chamber of Manufactures 1930-32 and of the Associated Chamber of Manufactures of Australia 1933.