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British, The Royal Society, Copley Medal, 1737, in gold, by J.S. Tanner, Pallas seated left among symbols of learning, exergue named (Nev. Maskelyne A.R. mdcclxxv), rev. arms and supporters, 43mm, 34.79g (MI 522/81; E 540; D & W 160/456); Geological Society of London, Wollaston Medal, 1828, in gold, by W. Wyon, bust of William Wollaston left, rev. legend in wreath, named (Nevil Story Maskelyne, MA, FRS, 1893), 45mm, 57.57g (BHM 1543; E 1203); France, Institut National des Sciences et des Arts, 1803, a silver award medal by R. Dumarest, helmeted bust of Minerva right, rev. wreath, named (Maskelyne, Associé Étranger), 49mm (Bramsen 279; BDM VII, 238) [3]. All brilliant and virtually as struck, last attractively toned; a very rare group of Wiltshire interest (£1,000-1,500)

Mervyn Herbert Nevil Story-Maskelyne (1823-1911), mineralogist, b. Wroughton, Wilts, whose mother, Margaret, was the great-granddaughter of Nevil Maskelyne, the astronomer royal; educated at Bruton grammar school and Wadham College, Oxford; graduated as BA, 1845; studied for the bar, but was persuaded to abandon the law for science in 1847; taught mineralogy and chemistry at Oxford, 1850-7; appointed keeper of minerals at the British Museum, 1857, maintaining and developing the collection and publishing two guides to it during a museum career which lasted until 1880; developed a keen interest in meteorites and the history of the diamond; elected FRS 1870 and served as that Society’s vice-president, 1897-9; became an honorary fellow of Wadham College, 1873; succeeded to the Basset Down estates, Wroughton, 1879; served as Liberal MP for Cricklade, 1880-92; founder member of Wiltshire County Council, 1889, serving until 1904, and an active member of the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society; received the Geological Society’s Wollaston medal, 1893; formed a valuable collection of antique engraved gems between 1860 and 1899, which was dispersed at Sotheby’s in July 1921. Further biographical detail is sold with the lot.

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