Medal Awarded to the Sword Makers Robert Mole and Sons
1851
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diam. 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm); thickness 5/16 in. (0.8 cm); Wt. 2.2 oz. (62.4 g)
Classification
Miscellaneous-Coins and Medals
Culture
British
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Herbert G. Houze, 2005
Accession Number
2005.465
Tags
Art Historical Context
This bronze medal, created by British medallist William Wyon in 1851, was awarded to the Birmingham firm Robert Mole and Sons in recognition of their fine sword-making craftsmanship. Wyon, a leading figure at the Royal Mint and renowned for his precise engraving work on coins and commemor medals, brought a refined neoclassical sensibility to such pieces. The small scale—measuring just 1¾ inches across—highlights his skill in capturing detailed profiles within a compact format, a technique that allowed medals to serve as portable tributes to industrial excellence. The year 1851 places the work...
About the Artist
William Wyon · 1795–1851
British, Birmingham 1795–1851 Brighton