Item number: M312

Year: AD 1855

Material: Gold

Size: 89.3 x 35.6 x 2.6 mm

Weight: 36.95 g

Manufactured by: Birmingham

Provenance:

1. Stack’s Bowers 2024

2. Noonans 2022

3. Dawson Collection

4. Fevyer Collection 2008

5. Reference in Spink Exhibition 1985 No.89

This is a gold Life Saving Medal awarded in AD 1855 by the British “Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Society” to Captain Edward Salmund of South Africa, in recognition of his courageous actions in rescuing the crew of the Calcutta.

The medal is round, with a richly decorated obverse. At the center are two oval frames: one features the profile of a naval officer, and the other depicts a sailing ship heading toward an iceberg amidst towering waves. Above these is an arrangement of a laurel wreath and Tudor crown. Behind the ovals, the background displays the Union Jack alongside the society’s flag, marked “SFMS.” The oval frames divide the design, with an elderly sailor holding a monocular telescope on the left and an anchor moored to land on the right. At the bottom, a grieving orphan and widow stand beside a drowned sailor, symbolizing the tragic loss at sea.

Below the floral motifs on either side are the engraver’s and mint location initials, “DAVIS BIRM.” (Davis, Birmingham). Surrounding the design, the inscription in Gothic script reads, “SHIPWRECKED FISHERMEN AND MARINERS ROYAL BENEVOLENT SOCIETY,” with the lower section reading, “ESTAB AD 1839 INCOd BY ACT OF PARLt 1850” (Established in AD 1839, Incorporated by Act of Parliament 1850).

The reverse of the medal features a solid circular band, within which six lines of text are inscribed: “PRESENTED FOR HEROIC EXERTIONS IN SAVING LIFE FROM DROWNING / JOB XXIX 13,” honouring the recipient’s bravery in saving lives from drowning, with a reference to the Bible verse Job 29:13. Encircling this inscription is an outer ring bearing the famous motto of naval hero Admiral Nelson: “ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY.”

At the top of the medal, there is a swivel straight bar suspension with a claw attachment, connecting to a deep blue ribbon. Above the ribbon, there is a decorative clasp embellished with floral motifs. The edge of the medal is engraved with the recipient’s name and year: “Edward Salmund Esq, 1855.”

In October AD 1838, a severe fishing disaster occurred in Clovelly, Devon, where 26 fishermen set out on 11 boats, with only two boats and five individuals surviving. In response to this tragedy, Charles Gee Jones and John Rye co-founded the “Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Society” in AD 1839, aiming to provide assistance to the orphans of seafarers and to become the largest organisation of its kind in Britain. Since its establishment, the society has awarded only 40 gold medals, with recipients chosen through anonymous voting.

The recipient of this particular medal, Edward Salmund, was recognised for his bravery in operating a lifeboat to assist members of the transport ship Calcutta, which had run aground in Agulhas Bay, South Africa, during September 19-20, AD 1854. His courageous actions earned him this medal as a mark of encouragement for his valour.

物件編號: M312

年代: 公元 1855 年

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 89.3 x 35.6 x 2.6 mm

重量: 36.95 g

製造地: 伯明翰

來源:

1. SBP錢幣拍賣 2024

2. 諾南斯 2022

3. 道森收藏

4. 費維爾收藏 2008

5. 斯賓克展覽第89號 1985

這是一枚公元1855年，英國「遇難漁民及水手皇家慈善協會」頒發給南非籍船長愛德華·薩爾蒙德的金質救生獎章，以獎勵他在救援加爾各答號的英勇行為。

獎章外觀為圓形，正面有豐富的圖案作為裝飾。正面中央的兩個蛋型框架，分別是海軍軍官的側臉肖像和波濤巨浪中朝冰山撞去的帆船，頂端以桂冠和都鐸王冠作為裝飾。而在蛋形裝飾後面以英國米字旗和印有「SFMS」字樣的協會會旗作為背景。以蛋形裝飾作為分界線，左側是一個手持單眼望遠鏡的老水手，右側則是繫在陸地上的船錨，最下方則是站在喪命的水手旁邊哭泣的孤兒和寡婦。

花草紋飾的兩側下方能找到雕刻師和鑄造地點的簡寫「DAVIS BIRM.」(戴維斯 伯明罕)。外圍打印歌德體環形銘文「SHIPWRECKED FISHERMEN AND MARINERS ROYAL BENEVOLENT SOCIETY」(遇難漁民及水手皇家慈善協會)和下方的「ESTAB AD 1839 INCOd BY ACT OF PARLt 1850」(成立於公元1839年，公元1850年受議會法案認定)。

獎章背面有一道實心圓，圓圈內部有六行銘文「PRESENTED FOR HEROIC EXERTIONS IN SAVING LIFE FROM DROWNING / JOB XXIX 13」(因拯救溺水者的英勇努力而獲獎/約伯記29:13)，外圍的環狀銘文是海軍英雄納爾遜將軍的格言「ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY」(英格蘭期盼人人都恪盡其責)。

獎章頂端以帶爪旋轉直桿懸掛銜接深藍色綬帶，綬帶上方還有一個以花飾裝飾的銘條。獎章側邊鐫刻得獎人的姓名和年份「Edward Salmund Esq, 1855」(愛德華·薩爾蒙德先生，公元1855)。

公元1838年10月，德文郡克洛韋利發生嚴重的漁事海難，出港的26人11艘漁船僅有兩艘船和五人生還。受到這起船難的刺激，查爾斯·吉·瓊斯和約翰·賴伊兩人在公元1839年共同成立「遇難漁民及水手皇家慈善協會」，旨在接濟船員遺孤並成為英國最具規模的相關組織。協會成立至今僅發放過40枚金質獎章，以匿名投票的方式選出得獎人。

這枚獎章的得獎者愛德華·薩爾蒙德，於公元1854年9月19至20日之間，冒險操作救生艇協助從印度出發在南非阿果亞灣觸礁的運輸船加爾各答號成員脫困而獲頒該獎章鼓勵其英勇的表現。