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116 The 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games gold prize medal won by George Wilkinson captain of the British water polo team,


designed by Erik Lindberg and Bertram Mackennal, two maidens crowning a victorious athlete, the reverse with a herald proclaiming the Olympic Games, in vermeil, the medal has been drilled at the top, gold patina worn; sold together with George Wilkinson’s 1912 Olympic Games participation medal, designed by Erik Lindberg with Zeus seated on an Ionian column holding a figure of Nike, the city of Stockholm beyond, the reverse with a victorious athlete riding in a quadriga (2)


George Wilkinson, a prolific goal scorer with a variety of shots, is generally recognized as the world’s first great water polo player. In 1899 he was only playing in the Division III of the Manchester League, but the following year he was recruited by the famous Manchester Osborne Swim Club. He is traditionally listed as being a member of the1900 Paris Olympic Games gold medal winning British team, but this has been disputed in some sources. After being on the winning Manchester team for the 1901 ASA championships, Wilkinson moved to Hyde Seals SC in 1902. He captained the Hyde team for 22 years, leading them to nine ASA titles and a victory over Brussels in the ‘World Championship’ at Paris in 1904. Wilkinson won Olympic gold at London in 1908 and then captained the winning team at


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117


the 1912 Stockholm Games where we was awarded the gold medal being offered here. Wilkinson also travelled to Olympics in 1920 and 1924 as a reserve. He won a total of 24 caps for England between 1900 and 1922, captaining the team on four occasions.


Like a number of notable sportsmen of this time, he became a publican and was the landlord at the Wheatsheaf Hotel in Hyde for many years. The Hyde Seal Statue was unveiled and Hyde Town Hall in 2002. £2,500 - 3,000


117 A 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games cased silver prize medal,


designed by Erik Lindberg & Bertram Mackennal, victorious athlete being crowned by two maidens, reverse with a herald proclaiming the Olympic Games, in original case of issue, red leather gilt inscribed OLYMPISKA, SPELEN, I, STOCKHOLM, 1912, II PRIS


The vendor of this lot purchased this medal about 10 years ago with the understanding that it was the silver prize medal awarded to Sweden’s Gustaf Malmstrom in the Greco-Roman lightweight wrestling competition although he could be offered no direct provenance at the time of acquisition. £2,800 - 3,200


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