Aust. Historical Medals

Lot 826    Session 4 (4.30pm Tuesday)    Aust. Historical Medals

Estimate $4,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $5,000

MINISTERE DEL'AGRICRE DU COMMERCE ET DES TRAVAUX PUBCS, Societe Imple Zoologique D'Acclimatation, (France), 1869 , medal in gold (tested as 96% (23ct), 56.8gm, 42mm) by Barre inscribed on reverse 'M.J.Youl/Saumon/En Tasmanie/1869'; Acclimatization Society Victoria, in silver (60mm) by J.S.& A.B.Wyon sc 1868 T.Landseer A.R.A. Adj in exergue (C.1868/3), engraved around edge 'Presented to James Youl Esquire for Services Rendered to the Colony'. Unique as a pair and historically important to Tasmania. First medal with scratch part neck to 'P' of Napoleon, edge knocks, otherwise nearly uncirculated; second medal with edge knocks and bruises, very fine. (2)

Sir James Arndell Youl (1811-1904), pastoralist, born on 28 December 1811 at Parramatta, New South Wales. In 1819 the family moved to Van Diemen's Land, before Youl went to study in England. Returning to Tasmania in 1827, Youl worked the Symmonds Plains property and began enlarging the pastoral interests left to him by his father. Youl immigrated to England in 1854, returning to Tasmania for a visit in 1860, the govenment appointed him their accredited agent in London the following year. He was a commissioner for the London International Exhibition in 1862, honorary secretary and treasurer of the Australian Association. In 1868 he was a founder and vice-president of the Colonial Society (Royal Colonial Institute), London and from February 1888 to October the same year acted as agent-general for Tasmania, before his death in Clapham on 5 June 1904. Youl is famed for the introduction of trout and salmon to Australasian waters. In January 1874 the 'Norfolk' left England carrying 100,000 salmon and trout ova, delivering them to Tasmanian hatcheries on the River Plenty successfully for the first time. Youl was awarded a gold medal for salmon by the French Acclimatization Society in 1869.