Medallion, Prize
Production date
Circa 1915
Description
A third class Panama-Pacific International Exposition prize medallion. The gold plated medallion features two nude classical figures reaching towards each other, superimposed over clouds and a bright sun over Panama. “DIVINE DISTNCTA IVNXIT HOMO” (the divine difference unites mankind) is marked, in Latin, at the base of the scene. The reverse features the grand structures of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. " MEDAL / OF AWARD " is marked on the reverse. " PANAMA-PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION SAN-FRANCISCOP MCMXV " is marked near the edge.
See full details
Object detail
In The Story of the Exposition published in 1921 author Frank Morton Todd was enthusiastic about New Zealand’s contribution to the Exposition. These exhibits included kauri gum, tinned and refrigerated meats, flax, woollen products, a stuffed moa specimen and “radio-active mud from some of the hot-springs in the island”. But this particular medal was earned by something far less exotic, an exhibit of unsalted butter from Taranaki’s own Omata Dairy Company. Under the elaborate awards system, this gold medal was a third class award which was handed out when an exhibit scored between 85 and 94 points out of a possible 100. See http://archive.org/stream/storyofexpositio04todd/storyofexpositio04todd_djvu.txt for the full text of "The Story of the Exposition".
More on Taranaki dairy factories here: Milk Solids: A Photographic Survey of Taranaki Dairy Factories
http://pukeariki.com/Research/TaranakiResearchCentre/MilkSolids.aspx
Public comments
Be the first to comment on this object record.