Silver and gold prize medallion for Boomerang mouth organ contest

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1920 - 1935

Overview

Circular medallion with a scrollwork top and hanging ring issued as a prize in a Boomerang mouth organ competition.
The base metal is silver while the front is overlaid with rose gold. There is a central depiction of a mouth organ with the word 'Boomerang' engraved along its length. A scroll or sash extends across the top of the medallion below which there is a central vertical column with four boomerangs surrounding the mouth organ - two above and two below. The column and boomerangs also have decorative engraving.
The silver surrounding the gold relief is darker in colour than the bright silver border.
The back of the medallion is plain, with just the maker's mark (P&P) and the letters 'S&G" signfying silver and gold.

Historical information

Boomerang mouth organ contests were organised and sponsored by J. Albert & Son who promoted and sold the Boomerang mouth organs. Some featured prize money of up to twenty pounds, which was a considerable sum back in the day. Most seem to have been held in the 1920s and 1930s.
There is also reference to the issue of silver and gold medallions as prizes. It is believed that this is one such prize.
The contests attracted dozens of entrants and up to several thousand spectators, all the while advertising the merits of owning and playing a Boomerang mouth organ - the best, sweetest, strongest and loudest in the world!
The maker on the reverse of the medallion, P&P, probably represents the jeweller who made it. Their workmanship is very fine.
A Miniature Boomerang mouth organ plus an instruction booklet on how to learn to play it in five minutes are also held in the collection.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-119-RoW00826

Item type

Themes