1851 Great Exhibition large bronze medal only awarded to 318 jurors named George Shaw

GEORGE SHAW MEDAL ARCHIVE

Great Exhibition of 1851

Juror’s Medal

THE GREAT EXHIBITION OF 1851

JUROR’S MEDAL

Bronze, 64mm, by William Wyon (obverse) and G. G. Adams (reverse);

obverse with conjoined busts of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert;

reverse depicting Industry crowned by Fame, attended by Commerce;

edge impressed: "GEORGE SHAW". 

Condition: Good extremely fine, with attractive original brown patina and clear edge naming.

George Shaw was an official juror one of only 151 British jurors with a further 160 foreign jurors who were brought together to judge the exhibits at the Great Exhibition of 1851.

This is a very rare large medal one of only 318 awarded worldwide.

Condition: Good extremely fine, with attractive original brown patina and clear edge naming.

RECIPIENT

George Shaw (1818–1904)

Birmingham patent agent, consulting chemist, and pioneer of early photography.

BIOGRAPHY

George Shaw was a prominent figure in Birmingham’s mid-19th century industrial and scientific community. Operating as a patent agent and consulting chemist, he advised inventors during a formative period in British technological development, particularly in electrometallurgy, metal manufacture and applied industrial chemistry.

His expertise led to his appointment as a juror at the Great Exhibition of 1851, where he is believed to have served within the metallurgical and scientific classes. These sections were central to the evaluation of innovation and industrial processes, aligning closely with his professional work.

Shaw is also notable in the early history of photography, having produced one of Birmingham’s earliest daguerreotypes in 1839, placing him among the earliest adopters of photographic technology in Britain.

He later served again as a juror at the International Exhibition of 1862, confirming his continued recognition as an authority in applied science and innovation.

PROVENANCE

Shaw Bowker & Folkes, Birmingham — and by descent

This medal has remained within the professional lineage of George Shaw’s original patent practice, which evolved into the firm:

Shaw -> Shaw Bowker -> Shaw Bowker & Folkes

The practice of Shaw, Bowker & Folkes was acquired in the early 1960s by Clive Sherwood and remained under his and his partners’ ownership until its sale in the late 1990s, on retirement of the partners.

The medal is accompanied by a signed and dated statement on original Shaw Bowker & Folkes headed paper, confirming the continuity of the firm and its direct connection to George Shaw.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Juror’s medals from the Great Exhibition were awarded to a limited number of specialist assessors (approximately 300 individuals) and are significantly scarcer than standard exhibitor awards.

Named examples are particularly desirable. This piece is further distinguished by:

- clear and fully legible edge naming

- identification of the recipient

- association with a scientifically significant individual

- documented professional lineage and provenance