REVIEWS The Medallic Record of the Jacobite Movement. By then and 1713. The precise occasions are more diffi- NOEL WOOLF (London: Spink and Son Ltd., 1988). cult to pin down. Woolf quotes Abel Boyer, a con- pp. 161. ISBN 0 907605 26 5 temporary Huguenot pamphleteer, who mentioned the abortive Anglo-French peace negotiations at Ger- THE struggle between the dispossessed Stuarts and truydenberg in the context of an issue in 1710, but the the Orange, protestant Stuart and Hanoverian 'usurp- more probable reason was surely the upsurge of High ers' of their thrones between 1688 and 1807 can be Anglican pro-Tory feeling inside England at the same followed through medals in a manner matched by few period in the wake of a provocative sermon given by other historical media. It tends to be forgotten that Dr Sacheverell, which might reasonably have been this was no one-sided contest even if the Jacobite expected to create a ready market for such medals medals are now better-known. The viewpoints of among the disaffected. For the medals were issued in William III, Anne and the Hanoverians were also considerable numbers: far more than would have represented on medals, even if most of these were been needed to satisfy the demands of plenipoten- minted not in the Tower of London but as specu- tiaries in Holland (who in any case would have been lations by sharp-witted Dutch, German and, from the bound by instructions from their governments). In a 1740s, even some English medallists. As the author similar vein Woolf has questioned the dating of the says in his introduction, 'more than forty medallists 'Amor et Spes' medals dated 1745 and found that they were involved in half-a-dozen or more European would have to date from after 1746 since the portrait countries when the striking of medals was at its height of Bonnie Prince Charlie is derived from a portrait and they were being avidly collected'. While virtually bust of 1746. It is only just that recent sale catalogues all of the medals were described and illustrated in have given the Jacobite material "Woolf' numbers. Medallic Illustrations and British Historical Medals, The catalogue is, however, in the final analysis, there has been a considerable supplementary special- disappointing because in some respects the author has ist literature (not least in this journal) on particular not done enough and in other respects he has been aspects of the medals, and earlier authors such as van too ambitious. While the individual medals are tech- Loon have also said much that was interesting. Yet nically well described and considerable effort has several puzzles remain, relating to the people respon- been expended in explaining the context of each type, sible for particular medals, the precise reasons for there is no over-view of the medals as a whole or any their appearance (especially in the case of the Jaco- real questioning of their intended purpose and bite medals) and the manner in which they were market. No attempt is made to discover the actual diffused. Mr Woolf was correct in thinking that the extent of their circulation, the means (and price at time had come for the medals to be re-examined as a which) they circulated and so on. What is the signifi- group. cance of the fact that thousands of 1697 medalets were The book embraces Jacobite and anti-Jacobite concealed as hoards in London, presumably shortly medals. It is chronologically arranged, partly under after their arrival in England, only to be discovered in topic and partly under medallic type. Each medal is the 1860s? Who was responsible for certain leitmotivs illustrated and each relevant example is numbered. in the Jacobite medals - the use of maps of Britain, At the end the medals are collated against references the cryptic messages ('Whose is this?' (1708-13) 'The to them in a selection of earlier works. There is an only salvation' (1721)) and so on. In short, what do index of legends, short biographical notes on medall- the medals tell us of their sponsors and of the society ists (with useful, simplified genealogical tables of the which saw their creation? Can they contribute some- Roettier and Hamerani dynasties who were respon- thing to the heated debate over the actual strength sible for most of the pro-Jacobite medals), a biblio- and nature of the Jacobite movement at particular graphy and a Stuart-Hanover family tree. moments in the eighteenth century? The technical numismatic information is well pre- Unfortunately, the author avoids such probing sented and the quality of the illustrations is excellent. analysis. Instead he attempts to combine a scholarly Several traditional assumptions have been looked at medallic catalogue with a popular, general history of afresh and questioned. Close examination of the the Jacobite movement through medals and other 'Reddite' series, containing maps of Britain on the propaganda material. Here the book falls down. It reverse and a portrait of the Old Pretender on the will be difficult for future scholars to refer to the text obverse, reveals not simply differing portrayals but an of the catalogue because of Mr Woolf's repeated evolving portrait. Woolf is surely correct in suggesting failure to give precise references for his statements or that they were issued over a period of years, not only for the documents that he quotes (usually in unre- to accompany the failed Jacobite attempt to recover liable translation) even if a search through the biblio- the British thrones in 1708 (the hitherto accepted graphy may sometimes suggest them. There is little explanation), but on a number of occasions between sign of any fresh research in the broader context of REVIEWS 157 Jacobitism. The text and bibliography betray little Britain that this reviewer concentrates his comments. awareness of the serious historical literature on Jaco- The familiar title of Hawkin's Medallic Illustrations is bitism that has appeared since 1960 from the pens of now over a hundred years old, and for medals of the professional historians writers such as John Kenyon, 1760-1901 period Laurence Brown's British Historical Jeremy Black, Evelyn Cruikshanks, Bruce Lenman, Medals completes the picture, leaving just the present Bart Smith and Edward Gregg. These would have century. But one would be wrong to assume from modified certain of the author's statements as well as these studies that the national collection must there- supplying information, such as on the strength of fore have everything, and the range and scope of the Jacobitism at certain periods and the Jacobites' acquisitions very much bear the personal stamp of changing tactics, which could have made more sense Mark Jones's Assistant Keepership. Acquisitions of of certain medallic issues, such as those of the 1750s. the Thatcher years these might well be, but the good Furthermore, the admixture of political cartoons, lady appears on only one unsigned medal, the reverse playing cards and songs serves only to weaken the copied from the early Victorian five-pound piece, impact of the medallic catalogue. showing her as Una and the Lion. She does make The principal criticisms must, however, attach not another appearance in the book, under Argentina, a to the author but to the publishers. The text seems to crude but jolly souvenir of the Falklands War. have been untouched by an editor, a designer or a The National Art-Collections Fund presented gold proof reader's hand. Incidents having no medallic coronation medals of William and Mary, Anne, significance, such as the Elibank Plot of 1752, are George IV, William IV, George VI, and the Jubilee discussed in some detail (p. 120). Supposedly Jacobite medal of George V (did the Museum not have songs are transcribed for no apparent reason. Such is these?), but they also presented their own 1987 the lack of design that in places the continuations of Benefactors Medal, by Nicola Moss. It is with the the text are difficult to track down, while there are representation of modern medallists that one can numerous misprints on virtually every page. appreciate the effect that the British Art Medal This book is, then, excellent in its technical Society has had on the medals and medal design, and treatment of individual medals. It is good to have the the author is able to list 27 medals by Ronald Searle, a medals treated as a group. But there is still room for a name more familiar to some as a cartoonist. Ron more analytical and weightier catalogue. Dutton, another pioneer medallist, has 21 medals PETER BARBER listed, against a single medal by Lynn Chadwick. Raphael Maklouf, who is responsible for the portrait of the Queen on our coinage, has presented works - British Museum Occasional Paper No. 78, Acqui- commercial medals perhaps - produced by his com- sitions of Medals (1983-1987). By PHILIP ATTWOOD. pany, The Tower Mint (not to be confused with the The British Museum, 1991. 136pp, including artist Royal Mint). There are sporting medals, club medals and subject indexes + 146 full page plates of numer- of all sorts, from dogs to sweet peas, poetry medals, ous illustrations. ISBN 0 86159 078 3. the National Trust, Thames Barrier, London Electric Supply Corporation, and many Royal medals. The THE 1985 publication of the first Acquisitions of medals are listed in gold, silver, bronze, white metal Medals by Mark Jones, set a precedent and whilst the and aluminium, whilst there is a wax portrait of style pioneered for it might be easy enough to follow, Thomas Wyon, the elder, by his son, and two other it is hard for any author to repeat the same standards.