Description
CANADA Dominion of Canada Rifle Association 1868 44.23mm bronze medal 41.88 grams Leroux 1600, McLachlan-483, Charlton-1705-20-1 Variety 2
Obverse: two standing riflemen shaking hands, backed by the Canadian coat-of-arms, inscribed in Latin "VIS UNITA FORTIOR" (Strength Stronger In Unity)
Reverse: PRESENTED BY THE DOMINION OF CANADA RIFLE ASSOCIATION 1868
According to Robert McLachlan, the dies of this medal are by Joseph Moore of Birmingham who cut most of the dies that bear Elkington’s name. Lovely example but as a result of die polishing the maker’s mark is mostly worn away, all but a very faint R appears above a die crack that runs down from the R in REGENT to the bead below. Also attributable to the polished die are the fading of letters at the outer extremities - D, A, R, and N.
There are three types of D.C.R.A. shooting medals, and with this the first type four different versions based on manufacturer. They were originally manufactured by Elkington & Co in London UK, the next version was still Elkington but with polished dies, then by P.W. Ellis & Co in Toronto, and still later by Henry Birks & Co. Awarded dated examples by Birks exist that go right up until the eve of World War II.
