EPS - Cards and Medals

A. Photographic Societies
Please scroll down this page, or click on one of the links below.
1.	Edinburgh Photographic Society	Membership Cards
2.	Edinburgh Photographic Society	Exhibition Ticket
3.	Edinburgh Photographic Club	Syllabus
4.	Edinburgh Photographic Society	Exhibition Acceptance Labels
5.	Galashiels Camera Club	Exhibition Acceptance Labels
6.	Photographic Society of Scotland	Bronze Medals
7.	Edinburgh Photographic Society	Bronze Medals
8.	Photographic Society of Scotland	Silver Medals
9.	Edinburgh Photographic Society	Silver Medals
10.	Photographic Society of London	Bronze Medal
11.	Photographic Convention of the UK	Enamel Badge
12.	Edinburgh Industrial Exhibition, 1901	Gold and Silver Medals
13.	International Exhibition of Science & Art (The Meadows, Edinburgh), 1886	Mug
14.	Milton Primary School Badge	Badge
15.	Boys' Brigade Badges	Badges
16.	Coronation Souvenir Mug, 1953	Mug

Edinburgh Photographic Society

Exhibition Notices, Rules and Reports

and

Exhibition Acceptance Labels

Feb 1899

Exhibition Notice

Feb 1900

Exhibition Notice

Feb 1901

Exhibition Notice

Feb 1902

Exhibition Notice

Nov 1902

Exhibition Notice

Feb 1899

Exhibition Rules

Mar 1902

Lantern Slide Exhibition Rules

Feb 1899

Exhibition Report

Feb 1902

Exhibition Report

1934

EPS Exhibition Label

1937

EPS Exhibitio Label

Reply 3

Peter Stubbs

Edinburgh

Medal first awarded at February 1902 Exhibition

Given the '1902 suggestion' from David (above) I've now looked at:

- Transactions of Edinburgh Photographic Society

- EPS Minute Books (See Reply 4 below)

for the early 1900s

I can now confirm that this style of medal was, indeed, first awarded at the EPS Exhibition held in February 1902, as David Likar suggests above.

EPS Transactions

"Transactions of EPS were distributed monthly to Members throughout each session (October to June) from 1880 until 1926.

'Transactions' was a rather formal publication. It included notices of Exhibitions and other forthcoming events, and reports of events.

It gave a full list of exhibition categories and the medals to be awarded for each category. (See below.) "

Exhibitions before 1902

Categories and Medals

"Each year, a sub-committee was appointed by EPS Council to make recommendations for the next exhibition. As a result, the number of categories and Medals awarded varied from year to year.

These were the categories and medals announced for the exhibitions in February 1899, 1900 and 1901."

Feb 1899

Feb 1900

Feb 1901

In fact, shortly after this announcement appeared in 'EPS Transactions',
EPS Council voted to make some changes to the Classes. See 'Reply 4 below.

"Classes and Medals for the February 1901 Exhibition were the subject of controversy within EPS Council. (See the extracts from Council Minutes in Reply 4 below.)

Exhibitions from 1902 Onwards

Fewer Classes

Bronze Medals only

"EPS moved to a simpler system, involving fewer Exhibition Classes and the awarding of only bronze medals in February 1902."

Feb 1902

"This February 1902 Exhibition set the pattern for subsequent exhibitions."

Note on Exhibition Dates

One exhibition was held during each session.

In the early-1900s, the exhibitions were held in February, except for the 1902-03 and 1903-04 when they were brought forward three months to November.

This resulted in two exhibitions during calendar year 1902 and none in 1904."

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: May 29, 2012

Reply 4

Peter Stubbs

Edinburgh

EPS Council Minutes

These extracts from Minutes give some insight into EPS Council's involvement in planning Exhibitions in the early 1900s.

Committee Appointed

"Messrs Scott, Lauder, Warwick and Johnston, Dr Scott Lauder being the Convenor, were appointed (as) a Committee to draw up a list of Classes and rules for the next Session's Exhibition, and to report."

EPS Council Meeting: April 19, 1900

Discussion of Exhibition Classes

The following is a small extract (about the first 25%) of a lengthy discussion on medals at one of the EPS Council Meetings!

Classes I and II

"The Council then proceeded to draw up a list of Classes for the Exhibition, viz:- The President Proposed and Mr Brown seconded that the two classes open to all; that one gold, one silver and one bronze medal be offered for each class; that Class I be for Portraiture and Figure Studies and Class II be for Landscape and Seascape Studies.

Mr Johnston moved as an amendment that the open section remain as printed in the May 'Transactions' ; the curator seconded."

On a vote being taken, six voted for the amendment and eight for the motion which was accordingly declared carried by a majority of two.

Warwick here handed in his resignation as a member of Council and his withdrawal as a candidate for the Presidency and left the meeting."

Classes III and IV

"Mr Brown moved, seconded by Mr Patrick, that there be two classes open to members only, each picture being the unaided work of the Exhibitor, and that the first, being Class III, be for portraiture and figure studies, and the second, being Class IV, be for landscape and seascape studies.

Mr Johnston moved as an amendment that the section open to members only remain as printed in the May 'Transactions'; the secretary seconded. On a vote being taken, three supported the amendment and ten the motion which was accordingly declared carried by a majority of seven."

Rule 9

"Mr James Burns here moved that the last clause of Rule 9 read as follows:- 'They shall have the power of withholding the awards and their decision as to merit shall be final.' Mr Brown seconded.

The Treasurer moved as an amendment that the clause read as follows: 'They shall have the power of adding to or withholding the awards but any additional award shall be a certificate, and their decision as to merit shall be final. The President seconded.

On a vote being taken, five voted for the motion and six for the amendment, including the Chairman's casting vote."

Classes III and IV (again)

"Mr James Burns moved, seconded by Mr Hay that one silver and one bronze medal be offered in each of classes III and IV. This was agreed to."

EPS Council Meeting: May 28, 1900

Discussion of Exhibition Entertainment

"The Council undertook to arrange for music being provided each evening during the exhibition, from 7 to 9 o' clock pm, except on Wednesdays and Saturdays when the exhibition would be closed.

Each member of Council undertook to endeavour to get a lady or gentleman to take an evening and to report to the Secretary, who was instructed to print in red lettering on invitation cards, 'Music from 7 to 9pm'." **

EPS Council Meeting: Jan 17, 1901

Exhibition Entertainment Cancelled

** This exhibition music, along with other entertainment - the Society Dinner, Exhibition Opening Concert and Smoking Concert - was subsequently cancelled, following the death of Queen Victoria five days after the date of this Council Meeting.

Medals Required

"Some discussion took place as to the designation of Medals to be awarded at the Annual Exhibition on the Entry Form, and it was agreed to print the following paragraph therein, viz:- "No Classification of Pictures; and the only awards will be the medal of the Edinburgh Photographic Society in bronze.

The Secretary was instructed to obtain the medals awarded at the Exhibition of Pictures and the Exhibition of Slides struck solid, and also to have those awarded in Sections I and II of the former inscribed on the back with the words "Open Section" and "Members' Section" respectively and those in the latter with the words "Lantern Slides".

EPS Council Meeting: Oct 24, 1901

Medal Estimate Accepted

"Messrs Alex Kirkwood & Son's estimate for solid bronze medals with name and date at four shillings and eight pence each with an additional charge of one penny per letter for engraving "Members Section" or "Open Section" or "Lantern Slides" on the back was accepted."

EPS Council Meeting: Nov 21 1901

Medal Order

"The Secretary was instructed to arrange with Messrs Alex Kirkwood & Sons for their keeping a dozen bronze Medals against the Exhibition of Photographs and Lantern Slides.

EPS Council Meeting: Dec 26 1901

Medal Order for Lantern Slide Competition

"It was agreed (1) to order six medals for the Lantern Slide Competition in addition to the two presently on hand; (2) to present them at the end of the Exhibition.

EPS Council Meeting: Dec 26 1902

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: May 29, 2012

Reply 5

Sue Hill

Edinburgh Photographic Society

Here is a an extract from a message that I received recently from Sue Hill and Doug Hamilton of Edinburgh Photographic Society.

Doug was EPS Exhibition Secretary, responsible for managing the EPS International Exhibition from from 1998 to 2007.

Sue wrote:

Recent EPS Medals

Double Sided Medal

"I’ve been following the story of the medal with interest.

Having read the comments above, I thought I’d let you know that I have an example of the double sided EPS bronze medal, engraved by E.W Thomson that I was awarded in 1997. It isn’t personally engraved though.

I don’t know in which years EPS awarded double sided medals; the one Doug was awarded in 1996 was a single sided one, showing the shield side."

Sue Hill, Edinburgh Photographic Society: May 29, 2012

Reply 6

Peter Stubbs

Edinburgh

Recent EPS Medals

Single Sided Medal

I was awarded the EPS Medal for winning the Advanced Section of the Slides Competition in 1993-4 and in 1995-6, Both my medals are single-sided, i.e. with a picture on the front (shield in one case and Edinburgh Castle on the other case) and my name and award details on the back.

The front of the first Medal shows the shield on the front. The front of the second Medal shows Edinburgh Castle.

Medals struck from same dies as were used to create EPS Medals from the 1860s to 1901.

The Medals below were presented for EPS Competitions in the 1990s

Throughout its 150 year history, Edinburgh Photographic Society has obtained its Medals from Alex Kirkwood & Son, Edinburgh.

Here are the two Medals above in their Kirkwood cases.

Please click on the thumbnail image below to enlarge this photo.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: June 6, 2012

Photographic Society of Scotland

Silver Medals

Thank you to Dave, Hampshire, who writes:

Medal awarded to Rev T Milville Raven - 1859

"I have a Medal that is the same as the bronze PSS Medal above, except the metal is silver. At the base of the engraving of the castle is the name of the engraver 'ALEXr KIRKWOOD & SON'. Interestingly, the medal is not hallmarked.

The medal is 5 cms in diameter. Around the rim is the inscription: 'TO THE REVd T. MILVILLE RAVEN, FOR THE BEST PHOTOGRAPH BY A MEMBER. 1859'.

The medal is in a mount which has the same inscription."

Dave, Hampshire, England: May 14, 2009

Front of PSS Medal

Edge of PSS Medal

Back of PSS Medal

Edinburgh Photographic Society

Silver Medals

Silver Medal - 1

Sold on eBay

An Edinburgh Photographic Society Silver Medal, similar to the one in the two pictures on the right above, but in silver, was sold on eBay on August 10, 2009. The location of the seller was Gosport, Hampshire, England

I bid unsuccessfully for the medal. There were eight bidders and the medal sold for £51. The medal was described as:

1861 EDINBURGH PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY SILVER MEDAL
BY E.W. THOMSON 48MM DIAMETER ALMOST UNC
weight 45.7 grams

The pictures above show the back and front of this medal. The year, 1861, mentioned above, is the year that Edinburgh Photographic Society was founded. In fact the medal was awarded at the EPS Open Exhibition in 1896

The inscription around the edge of the medal reads: 'J B Johnsone 1896'

- Peter Stubbs, August 11, 2009
Updated and pictures added: September 16, 2009.

Silver Medal - 2

Sold on eBay

Ten days later, the same seller offered another Edinburgh Photographic Society Silver Medal on eBay.

Bids closed on August 20, 2009. There were 7 bidders and the medal sold for £60.99. The medal was described as:

1861 EDINBURGH PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY SILVER MEDAL
BY E.W. THOMSON 48MM DIAMETER ALMOST UNC
weight 44.5 grams

It is engraved around the rim: "JB JOHNSTONE, EDINBURGH 1898"

- Peter Stubbs, August 21, 2009