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Great Britain, Sir John MacAlister, c.1910, a cast bronze medal, signed E.H., bust right, rev. robed figure of MacAlister presenting standing naked student with an open book, 77mm. About very fine, rare (£30-40)

Sir John Young Walker MacAlister, Kt, OBE, FSA, FRGS (1856-1925); b. Tarbert, Scotland; educ. Edinburgh University; studied medicine but ill-health compelled him to give it up; entered the library service in Liverpool, and later Leeds; freelance journalist for the Leeds Mercury and Yorkshire Post; secretary of the Library Association, 1887-98, and president, 1914-19. MacAlister, whose only recreation was listed in Who Was Who as ‘sleeping’, was also a correspondent of the noted token author G.C. Williamson. Another specimen of the medal is in the British Museum, presented by MacAlister’s son in 1949