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Eglit-90; Rulau-X3. Struck in copper with a plain edge. 76 mm. By Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Charles E. Barber. Award medal from the 1892-93 World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago, Illinois. This piece was awarded to Mrs. Ernest (Alice) Hart. Alice Hart was born Alice Marion Rowland to Alex William Rowland and his wife Henrietta Maria Margeretta Ditges. Alex was part of the wealthy Rowland Macassar oil company family. Alice traveled extensively throughout her life and it was during a trip to Donegal with her husband that she became aware of the extreme poverty of the region. She decided that she must take action and thought the best answer was to help revive the local cottage industries, especially that of weaving tweed. Thus, she created the Donegal Industrial Fund through which she helped local artisans market their product in London and beyond. Later, she expanded on her idea by encouraging Irish women to set up embroidery schools, which resulted in the Kells embroidery schools. The local artisans and the Kells schools produced a variety of household items which were displayed at various international expositions and which won multiple awards, including here at the WCE. In addition to philanthropic activities, Alice also painted, authored a book on Burma and its people, and was editor of House Beautiful for a short time.
Beautiful red-brown color. Housed in a thick, almost 5"X7" NGC holder.
The piece is accompanied by three photos related to Alice Hart's participation in the Expo: one is a portrait of Alice above a map of the Expo grounds indicating the location of the Irish Village; one shows Alice and Lady Aberdeen (who assisted Alice in the creation of the Irish Village at the Expo) standing outside a building in the Irish Village; and the third is a listing of "Interesting Exhibits in Department M. - Ethnology", highlighting the "Irish Village. Mrs. Ernest Hart, Concessionaire. Exhibit of Irish Donegal Village and Industries. Admission 25 cents."
More on Alice Hart via Wikipedia