Medal Awarded to the Sword Makers Robert Mole and Sons 1851

This is a medal awarded to the sword makers Robert Mole and Sons, made from bronze, by William Wyon. The medal's creation would have started with an idea, which the artist then translated into a clay model, before a mold was produced using casting sand. Molten bronze was then poured in. Once cooled, the metal would be worked to sharpen the details, before finally being polished. The medal’s tactile quality invites handling, its weight a testament to the value of labor and material. The high relief and fine detail of the medal would have taken great skill. The medal is, of course, an object of commemoration. It reflects the social context of nineteenth-century industry, where objects like swords, produced by firms like Robert Mole and Sons, were seen as markers of national pride and technological advancement. Awarding medals like these served not only to celebrate excellence but also to fuel further innovation and competition. Looking at objects like this, we can appreciate how the values and distinctions of fine art and craft can be challenged by understanding the importance of materials, making, and context in understanding the full meaning of an artwork.