Society of Arts, 1820, a silver award medal by W. Wyon, conjoined busts of Mercury and Minerva left, rev. wreath, named (To Sir John Robison, mdcccxliii, for his Method of Making Half-Round Files), 52mm (Allen 16; E 647). Minor hairlines, otherwise brilliant and practically as struck; in contemporary red fitted case (£60-80)

Sir John Robison (1778-1843), son of John Robison (1739-1805), the scientific writer who served as a midshipman with General Wolfe sailing up the River Lawrence, Canada, and who was with Wolfe the night before his death in 1759; educ. Edinburgh University; lifelong friend of James Watt Jr, Soho; travelled to Madras 1802 and was in the service of the Nizam of Hyderabad as a contractor for establishing and maintaining the Nizam’s artillery;having made his fortune he left India 1815 and returned to his native city, Edinburgh; inventor and founder member of the Scottish Society of Arts, 1821, of which he was secretary, 1822-4, twice vice-president and ultimately president, 1841-2; general secretary of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1828-40; received the Guelphic Order from William IV, 1837; knighted by Queen Victoria, 1838. Sold with further family biographical detail and a copy of Wolfe of Quebec by Robin Reilly