Agricultural & Horticultural Medals

Lot 675    Day 1    Agricultural & Horticultural Medals

Estimate $4,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au

HUTT VALLEY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY INC, F.R.Cooper Memorial Medal, struck in gold (9ct, 35.5g, 39mm), by Bock (W.R.Bock, Wellington), ring top suspension, reverse inscribed, 'E.Anstis & Son/Coll. Polyanthus/14.9.27.' Uncirculated and very rare.

In a case stamped on the silk lining with the mark of W.R.Bock & Co, General Engravers, Wellington.^^The F.R.Cooper Memorial Gold Medal was established as a perpetual memorial to the society's former president Mr F.R.Cooper following a donation from his estate in 1926. It was to be awarded for the most meritorious exhibit in the show and was first awarded by the society at its Autumn Flower Show held on 21 April 1927, the winner being W.Copping for a splendid exhibition of vegetables. The second time it was awarded was at the society's Spring Flower Show in September 1927 and the winner was E.Anstis and Sons for their exhibit of polyanthus (see the medal in this lot).^^See also lot E6366.^^After Mr Cooper's death, his beautiful home and gardens were sold by public auction on 27 February 1926. The property was described by the highest authorities as one of the best sheltered and most beautiful gardens in any part of New Zealand and planted with the choicest, rarest and best collection of plants obtainable. The site of two and a quarter acres was part of the old Bellevue Gardens at Lower Hutt and was beautifully sheltered from the prevailing winds by belts of beautiful trees.