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Auction: 25055 - British Medals and World Coins featuring The Hurter-Amman Collection of Ancient and European Gold
Lot: 790

"A feat which made the Great Continental Powers stare with wonder" | France, Universal Exposition of Paris (1 April - 3 November 1867), Exhibitors' "Grand Prix" AV Medal of 1,000 Francs, 1867, Class H (Navigation and Lifeboats), Awarded to John Penn and Sons for Nautical Steam Engines on 1 July at a Royal Reception with Napoleon III, designed by François Joseph Hubert Ponscarme for the Paris Mint, NAPOLEON III - EMPEREUR, laureate head left, with characteristic goatee beard, rev. EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE DE MDCCCLXVII À PARIS, Two winged Putti representing Fame holding inscribed cartouche: PENN, laurel wreath above, Imperial eagle below, edge plain, but stamped with a Bee and OR on edge, [Spink XRF: 95.96% Gold], 68mm., 281.73g, 12h, a miraculous and pristine survivor, choice as struck, and exceptionally rare, one of only 64 "Grand Prix" awards for this Exposition, with only SEVEN bestowed on British companies, and others still issued in Gilt Bronze, not Solid Gold!, with original Imperial Gilt Presentation Case of Issue with the Exhibition Prize Pink Ticket slip, stating: "Classe H, No. 67. Mr. Penn et Fils"

The 1867 Paris Exposition (Exposition Universelle), occupied more than 100 acres on the Champ de Mars in the heart of Paris. Opened on April 1, it lasted more than seven months and attracted more than 15 million visitors. The central ceremonial event, on July 1, was a Royal Procession led by Napoleon III and twelve other European heads of state, followed by a speech by the French minister of state, a Rossini hymn performed by an orchestra of 1,200 musicians, and the presentation of awards and medals to the top exhibitors.



The 1867 Paris Exposition recognized excellence in various fields by awarding different classes of medals. The Exposition featured 50,226 exhibitors, including 15,055 from France and its colonies, 6,176 from Great Britain and Ireland, and 703 from the United States.



The primary classes of award medals awarded included:
1. "Grand Prix": The highest honour, awarded for exceptional contributions and exhibits.
2. First Class: Gold Medal in recognition of high levels of excellence and achievement
3. Silver Medals: Second Class: Awarded for notable contributions and quality.
Bronze Medals: Third Class: Acknowledged commendable efforts and participation.



The official awards report complained of lack of medals in the higher class like gold. The whole number of award medals issued was 5,000 with fewer than two percent of the exhibitors receiving the prestigious gold medals.



Universal exhibitions were created to showcase the industrial achievements of different nations. They represented the technological and industrial showcase of the participants, testifying to progress during the Industrial Revolution. The first World's Fair was held in London in 1851.
Originally, each country had its own space in a central pavilion. National pavilions were introduced in 1867. In principle, they were allocated only if there was something to present that the central pavilion could not accommodate. They soon became widespread, with exhibiting nations building pavilions typical of their country's architecture.
Competition was ubiquitous at world's fairs, and medals and prestige were awarded to the most deserving.
Numerous architectural achievements built for world's fairs went on to become symbols of the cities that hosted them: the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Atomium in Brussels, the Space Needle in Seattle, the Biosphere in Montreal.



"The day appointed for the distribution of the gold medals was a holiday in Paris, and an occasion of much interest to contributors. It seemed to be a season of more general excitement and display than the day of the
opening. The whole city of Paris was gayly decorated, banners waved, fountains played, and music filled the air. Thousands on thousands thronged the avenues and gardens and places of pleasurable resort, and joy and
gladness ruled the hour. The hall occupying the entire second story of the palace used for the Paris Exposition in 1865 was the place for bestowing the awards, and it was filled to its utmost capacity, some twenty thousand
persons being present. There were twenty-five entrances to the hall, so that the vast crowd could enter with little delay or confusion, each ticket indicating the seat to be occupied and the entrance by which it must be reached. As none but gold medals were to be announced, no tickets were issued to the recipients of silver or bronze medals or honorable mention. This I regard as a most unfair distinction, when all contributors expected, and
should have been invited, to be present. I will not here describe the decorations of the hall, the illustrious persons there assembled, nor all the ceremonies of the occasion. Immediately on the occupation of the platform the orchestra commenced with the grand hymn composed by Rossini for the occasion. It was partly instrumental, partly vocal, and contained a grand march ending in a spirited chorus with the ringing of bells and the firing
of cannon. It was heartily applauded, and at its close tremendous shouts of vive l'Empereur burst forth. As soon as the intense excitement had subsided, M. Rouher, Minister of State and Vice-President of the Imperial
Commission, arose and read the report relating to the success of the Exposition. Around him were members of the various commissions, the international jury, and distinguished persons of every nation.



"Thanks to an activity that surmounted all fatigues, the decisions required of the jury for the first of July, have all been rendered, and the result can now be proclaimed before your majesty. The jury has awarded to exhibitors 64 grand prizes, 883 gold medals, 3,653 silver medals, 6,565 bronze medals, and 5,801 honourable mentions. Notwithstanding this great number of awards, the jury was obliged to limit its choice, and to pass over without any designation many interesting exhibitions of distinguished merit and industrial efforts worthy of more serious encouragement."



"When M. Ronher had concluded his report, the
Emperor arose, and with firm voice made the following
admirable reply: —
Gentlemen: — After an interval of twelve years I come for
the second time to distribute recompense to those who have most
distinguished themselves in the labors which enrich nations,
embellish private life, and soften manners.
The poets of antiquity celebrated magnificently the solemn
games in which the various people of Greece came to dispute the
prize of running. What would they say to-day if they witnessed
these Olympian contests of the entire world, where all the
nations, competing by intelligence, seem to dash forward, all at
the same time, in the career of infinite progress towards an ideal
which is ever approached, but never attained.
From all points of the earth the representatives of science,
art, and manufactures have hastened to assemble together, and it
may be said that peoples and kings have come to honor the
efforts of labor, and by their presence crown them with an idea
of conciliation and peace.
In fact, in these great meetings, which appear to have only
for their object material interests, there is always a moral thought
which is evolved from the competition of intelligence,— that of
concord and civilization. Nations in drawing nearer together,
learn to know and esteem each other; hate becomes extin-
guished, and this truth becomes more and more accredited, —
that the prosperity of each country contributes to that of all.
The Exhibition of 1867 may justly be called Universal, for it unites the elements of all the riches of the globe ; by the side of
the latest improvements of modern art appear the products of the
most remote ages, so that they represent, at the same time, the
genius of every century and every nation. It is certainly uni-
versal: for, by the side of the wonders which luxury produces
for some, it has paid the deepest attention to what the necessi-
ties of the greatest number require. Never have the interests
of the laborious classes awakened a more lively solicitude. Their
moral and material wants, their education, the conditions of
cheap existence, and the most productive combinations of associ-
ation, have been the object of patient research and serious study.
Thus, all improvements progress side by side. If science, in
subjugating matter, emancipates labor, the culture of the mind,
by suppressing vices, prejudices, and vulgar passions, sets
humanity free.
Let us congratulate ourselves, gentlemen, on having received
amongst us the greater number of the sovereigns and princes of
Europe, and so many eager visitors. Let us be proud, too, in
having shown to them France as she is, great, prosperous, and
free. One must be destitute of all patriotic faith to doubt her
greatness, close one’s eyes to evidence to deny her prosperity,
and ignore her institutions, which are sometimes tolerant even to
the extent of license, not to perceive the liberty existing there.
Foreigners have been able to appreciate this France, formerly
so unquiet, and spreading her disturbing influences beyond her
frontiers, now laborious and calm, always fruitful in generous
ideas, applying her genius to the most varied marvels, and never
allowing herself to be enervated by material enjoyments.
Observing minds will easily have divined that, notwithstand-
ing the development of wealth, notwithstanding the attraction
towards general comfort, the national fibre is always ready to
vibrate when a question of honor or of country arises; but this
noble susceptibility cannot be a subject of apprehension for the
repose of the world.
Let those who have lived some short time amongst us carry
back with them a just opinion of our country. Let them be
convinced of the sentiments of esteem and sympathy which we
entertain for foreign nations, and of our sincere desire to live in
peace with them.
I thank the Imperial Commission, the members of the Jury,
and the different committees, for the intelligent zeal which they
have displayed in the accomplishment of their mission. I thank
them, also, in the name of the Prince Imperial, whom I was
happy to associate, notwithstanding his tender age, in this great
undertaking, of which he will preserve the recollection.
The Exhibition of 1867 will mark, I hope, a new era of har-
mony and of progress. Assured that Pi evidence blesses the
efforts of those who, like ourselves, aim at doing good, I believe
in the final triumph of those great principles of morality and
justice, which, in satisfying all legitimate aspirations, can alone
consolidate thrones, exalt nations, and ennoble humanity."



Hubert (François Joseph) Ponscarme (1827-1903) was a French Sculptor, Coin and Gem Engraver, Medallist, born at Belmont-les-Monthureux (Vosges). He was a pupil of Oudiné, Vauthié, Dumont and Merley. Deuxième Grand Prix de Rome de gravure en médailles in 1855, the Premier Prix was won by Alphée Dubois that year. Médaille de troisième classe in 1859, 1861, 1863 and première classe in 1867 et 1878 at the Exposition Universelles. He was a portraitist of Napoleon III. In 1895 he created new style of medal making which would develop into the Belle Époque. He had two famous pupils: Ovide Yencesse and Alexandre Charpentier. He died at Malakoff (Hauts-de-Seine)

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Estimate
£12,000 to £15,000

Starting price
£10000