Medal - Holborn Restaurant Presentation

MEDALLION HOLBORN RESTAURANT PRESENTATION MEDAL 
  Scroll engravings seen so far: 
To George McFee Esq Jan 1893 ? 

To Thomas H Smithers Esq Feb 7th. 1894 ? 
To J E Davis Esq Sep 29th. 1894 ? 
To W H Graham Esq Sep 29th. 1894 
To Mr. J Rowe Esq Sep 29th. 1894 
To C J Shoppee Esq Sep 29th. 1894 

To Rev C J Smith Sep 29th. 1894 
To Chas Turner Esq Sep 29th. 1894 
To Rev G Twentyman Sep 29th. 1894 

To M Hale Esq Feb 17th. 1895 
To The Master Jun 21st. 1895 
To Sir W W Hunter KCSI.CIE Jul 2nd. 1895 
To The Rev The Hon Edwd Lyttelton Jul 4th. 1895 

To G W Foote Esq Sep 4th. 1895 
To A E Austin Esq Oct 8th. 1895 
To H W Parker Esq Oct 11th. 1895 
To Thomas Wardle Esq Oct 16th. 1895 
To Henry Kent Esq Oct 21st. 1895 

To E B Reading Esq Oct 26th. 1895 
To Jas. Cantlie Esq FRCS Oct 29th. 1895 ? 
To E Walter Maunder Esq Oct 30th. 1895 
To J Bailey Esq M.P. Oct 31st. 1895 
To Wm. Whiteley Junr. Esq Nov 2nd. 1895 
To A P Theobalds Esq Nov 16th. 1895 
To J R Allum Esq Nov 19th. 1895 
To C G Hennings Esq Nov 20th. 1895 
To H House Esq Nov 23rd. 1895 
To G Bishop Esq Nov 28th. 1895 

To W H Kemm Esq Dec 9th. 1895 
To D W Drummond Esq Dec 11th. 1895 

To A C Wiggins Esq Dec 16th. 1895 
To Rev. A J Rutley Dec 19th. 1895 
To Wm. Sherwood Esq Dec 21st. 1895 
To J R Hill Esq Dec 27th. 1895 
To H J Donaldson Esq Feb 11th. 1896 
To W R Horncastle Esq Feb 18th. 1896 [this medallion] 
To J F Blackburn Esq Feb 27th. 1896 ? 
To H Y Dever Esq Mar 20th. 1896 
To Wright Clarke Esq Apr 25th. 1896 
To Henry Holmes Esq Apr 25th. 1896 
To J J Jarvis Esq Apr 25th. 1896 ? 
To J Bunker Esq Apr 27th. 1896 

To J J Shelborn Esq Jun 24th. 1896  ? 

To Captain J H Smith Jun 26th. 1896 ? 
To G P Nichols Esq Jul 8th. 1896 ? 
To Hon. Nahum Chapin Jul 9th. 1896 

To Dana F Dudley Esq Jul 9th. 1896 
To Mr. Willm. Southgate Jul 9th. 1896 ? 
To Colonel Minden Cole Aug 10th. 1896 

To Mr. & Mrs. W Gunnell Aug 20th. 1896 
To J W Henby Esq Oct 26th. 1896 
To Mr. & Mrs. C H Freeman Oct 27th. 1896 
To H W Standen Esq Dec 4th. 1896 

To H H Cozens-Hardy Esq Dec 17th. 1896 
To W A Buckland Esq Jan 1st. 1897 
To M Austin Esq MD Feb 20th. 1897 

To G Newman Esq Feb 20th. 1897 
To W H Starkey Esq Mar 5th. 1897 ? 
To W Brown Esq Mar 29th. 1897 
To G G Exton Esq May 18th. 1897 

To W P Henry July 7th. 1897 
To T E Ellis Esq Jul 23rd. 1897 

To W Woolliscroft  Esq Oct 22nd. 1897 
To Harry Watts Esq Nov 4th. 1897 
To L F Pigel Esq Dec 11th. 1897 
To W H Brough Esq Dec 15th. 1897 

Literature: BCM 1640 (bronzed finish); BHM 2990: Eimer 1640; Taylor 207a.

 The medal is cast, not struck, and the edge and rim have been carefully machine-polished. It has a remarkable 11 millimeter thickness at the rim, but inside the rim it is much thinner, about 6 millimeters. Christopher Eimer, the British medal specialist, has catalogued this Holborn Restaurant medal as No. 1640 in his 'British Commemorative Medals and their values' book. The high relief designs on each side are well defined and ornate. The obverse has a scene in the restaurant entrance hall with a gathering of formally dressed ladies and gentlemen standing and seated before an elegant hallway, bounded by two large columns. Figures descend formal staircases on either side. Above the columned entrance is HOLBORN lettering. In the exergue below is RESTAURANT ESTD. 1874. The reverse design is a scene of figures dancing in a lavish ballroom with a high arched ceiling, and walls decorated with potted palms.

 The Holborn Restaurant
In its day, the Holborn Restaurant was the grandest establishment of its kind in London. According to its
brochure, the restaurant held "a unique position in London social life, adding a spice of poetry to the dull prose
of every day life." Various of its facilities were available for private hire, depending upon the size and nature of the event. The King's Hall could accommodate 500 diners and be cleared for dancing in 20 minutes. The Venetian
Hall, with tables joined in a circuit around the room, is described as "the home of Golf, Hockey and Tennis Clubs holding Annual Reunions." The restaurant is unabashedly described as one "whose fame has traveled with the flag to the four corners of the earth".
 Established in 1874, the Holborn Restaurant operated until 1954. It was demolished in 1955.

 Also - A very rare presentation bronzed lead medal - one of only a few given during the time of the Holborn restaurant. It was founded in 1874 and was one of London's grandest, and was billed as a spice of poetry to the dull prose of everyday life. It had a rich and varied history, and had roots in advertising history becoming the meeting place for what would later become the Advertisers Protection Society 1901, and the British Chess federation was founded here in 1904. It also played host to a series of banquets for the participating athletes at the 1908 Olympic Games. The restaurant was sadly demolished in 1955.

 Angled views showing the great detail ...


 A postcard THE GRAND RESTAURANT c. 1954 ...