Description
CANADA Ontario Law Society Ontario by J.S. & A.B. Wyon 34mm white metal 14.5 grams Leroux 1566
This piece is scarce and a little unusual for a couple of reasons. It was, of course, catalogued by Leroux, but the Law Society of Ontario only came into being in 2018. Prior to that it was known as the Law Society of Upper Canada. In Jeffrey Hoare Auction's #6 Torex Auction. There were two offerings of Leroux #1566. One in gold and awarded in 1890, and the other in bronze unawarded. The former went for $675, and the latter for $50. plus the fees, which were respectable sums in 1988. So unusual for the name.
The other part that makes this unusual is that SI FRACTUS ILLABATUR ORBIS IMPAVIDUM FERIENT RUINAE is very lightly etched on the reverse. The quote is from Horace's Odes Book 3 (Translation: If the world should break in pieces around him, the ruins would leave him undaunted)
John Shepherd Wyon (1836-1873) and Alfred Benjamin Wyon (1837-1884) did the engraving for this medal. Their younger brother Alan (1843-1907) did a very similar medal but it reads the LAW SOCIETY OF UPPER CANADA, and the only example that I have come across from the Seminary of Sherbrooke collection in 2019 was not awarded. The Upper Canada piece was not catalogued by Leroux.
