Medal of the International Exhibition of 1862
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1862
This object is a circular Victorian commemorative medal produced in 1862 in Birmingham by George Dowler. Measuring 50 mm in diameter, the piece is made of struck lead and commemorates the 1862 International Exhibition held in London.
The medal features an architectural depiction on its reverse representing the exhibition building, viewed in perspective from the south west along its main frontage. The relief depicts the extensive structure, which includes prominent domes and pavilions, set above and below multiple lines of inscribed text containing commemorative details and dimensions relating to the building.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
The medal is one of approximately sixty unofficial medals and tokens struck to mark the 1862 International Exhibition in London, which continued the legacy of the 1851 Great Exhibition and was funded in part by its profits. The exhibition building, located at the southern end of Exhibition Road, was designed by Royal Engineer Captain Francis Fowke (1823–1865). The structure received negative reviews in the press and was ultimately demolished in 1864 to clear the site for the Natural History Museum. The medal was donated to the collection by Angus Patterson in 2011.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Struck lead
- Dimensions
- Diameter: 50 mm
Technical characteristics
- Maker recorded
- Dowler, George
- Place recorded
- Birmingham
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Medal of the International Exhibition of 1862
- Museum object number
- A.3-2011
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.