Historical and Art Medals, Numismatic Books

19th Century, Royal Visit to Salford, 1894, a silver-gilt and enamel badge by Elkington, crowned arms, back inscribed (To Commemorate the Opening of the Ship Canal, 21 May 1894), 51 x 41mm. Extremely fine and very rare; with original blue ribbon and ornate silver-gilt clasp, named (Bailey, Mayor), and in original blue velvet-lined case of issue by Elkington & Co, Manchester (£100-150)

Sir William Henry Bailey (1838-1913), of Sale Hall, Cheshire, chairman and managing director of the engineering firm of W.H. Bailey & Co Ltd, Albion Works, Salford, was an original promoter of the Manchester Ship Canal; he was personally knighted by Queen Victoria on board the first ship to traverse the waterway. Descended from an old Salford family, Bailey, educated at Manchester Grammar School, served as mayor of Salford in 1893-4, as governor of Manchester’s John Rylands library and as president of the Manchester Arts Club and of the Manchester Shakespeare Society