View lot

Lot 860      

Estimate $22,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $22,000

CAPTAIN JAMES COOK, memorial medal in gold (43mm, 41.4 grams) by L. Pingo for the Royal Society in 1784 (MH374, BHM58, Betts 553, Klenman 5). The obverse legend translates to James Cook, the most ardent explorer of the ocean and The Royal Society of London to their Fellow, the reverse our associated leave nothing untried and depicts fortune standing with globe, spear accoutrements. The obverse field has been buffed of a surface mark otherwise showing much original brilliance in the fields with frosted relief, good extremely fine and extremely rare, only seven known and this the only one in private hands.

Ex A.H.F. Baldwin Collection (Glendining & Co. sale 19th May 1964, lot 327), John J. Ford Jr. collection, Dr. Patterson (U.S.A.) and L.R. Smith Collection. The following is a list of known specimens extracted from L. R. Smith 'The Royal Society Cook Medal'. The Wedgwood Press, Sydney, 1982. 1. H.M. Queen Elizabeth's Collection. 2. The British Museum ex Sophia Banks Collection bequeathed in 1817 and from her brother Sir Joseph Banks, the President of the Royal Society in 1784. 3. British Museum from Cook's widow shortly before her death in 1835. 4. British Museum, sold in duplicates sale by Sotheby, July 13th, 1922 (lot 192 part) A.H. Baldwin & Sons Ltd., probably Sir William Dixson in February 1926, the State Library of N.S.W. 5. Hyman Montaqu Collection, Sotheby 29th May 1897 (lot 826) possibly Dr. Roth and then David Scott Mitchell, the State Library of N.S.W. 6. John G. Murdoch Collection, Sotheby 14th December 1904 (lot 678) Rollin, (possibly Spink and Dr. Thomas Evans) and Sir William Dixson, the State Library of N.S.W. 7. A.H.F. Baldwin Collection, Glendining & Co. sale 19th May 1964 (lot 327); Spink to John J. Ford Jr. (U.S.A.); Dr. Patterson (1975) John W. Adams/A.J. Ostheimer (c.1966) ; L. Richard Smith in 1988 (this specimen).