Baldwin's of St. James's
Auction 10 22 Sep 2017
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Foreign Coins and Medals, Egypt, The Opening of the Suez Canal, large silver medal of the Compagnie Universelle du Canal Maritime de Suez, 1869, by Louis-Oscar Roty (1846–1911), draped figures of Labour offering a jar to the seated Commerce who holds aloft a torch, distant aerial panorama of the canal beyond, rev. legends, named cartouche on oak spray: THOMAS SUTHERLAND MP ADMINISTRATEUR, Sphinx and pyramid below, 60mm., extremely fine with rich grey tone
*ex Glendinings, 26 March 1942, lot 157
ex Baldwin's vault
Sir Thomas Sutherland (1834-1922) was MP for Greenock between 1884 and 1890, thus dating the medal to those years. He started working for P & O SNCo in 1852 at the age of 18 and was sent East in 1854 to Bombay. He soon moved on to Hong Kong and by the time he was 26 years of age he had become superintendent of P & O's Japan and China agencies, and had been appointed a member of the Hong Kong legislative assembly. It was whilst he was P & O's Agent that, in 1864-65, he formed the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank [HSBC] - the first bank in China. He served as a director on its provisional board, then deputy chairman. He was recalled to London in 1866, where he worked his way up in P & O and was appointed Chairman in 1880, retiring in 1915. As a member of parliament he played a key part in the development of the Suez Canal. His discussions led to the 'London programme', which 'conceded the main demands of the shipowners: a British committee based in London to deal with canal problems' and 'seven British directors selected from the shipping and mercantile communities'. He was appointed a director of the Suez Canal Company and in 1903 became one of three vice-presidents. He was created a KCMG in 1891 and a GCMG in 1897, and became a knight of the Order of St John and a member of the Légion d'Honneur. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for the City of London, and the University of Aberdeen honoured him with an LLD in 1892. (1500-2500 GBP)
*ex Glendinings, 26 March 1942, lot 157
ex Baldwin's vault
Sir Thomas Sutherland (1834-1922) was MP for Greenock between 1884 and 1890, thus dating the medal to those years. He started working for P & O SNCo in 1852 at the age of 18 and was sent East in 1854 to Bombay. He soon moved on to Hong Kong and by the time he was 26 years of age he had become superintendent of P & O's Japan and China agencies, and had been appointed a member of the Hong Kong legislative assembly. It was whilst he was P & O's Agent that, in 1864-65, he formed the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank [HSBC] - the first bank in China. He served as a director on its provisional board, then deputy chairman. He was recalled to London in 1866, where he worked his way up in P & O and was appointed Chairman in 1880, retiring in 1915. As a member of parliament he played a key part in the development of the Suez Canal. His discussions led to the 'London programme', which 'conceded the main demands of the shipowners: a British committee based in London to deal with canal problems' and 'seven British directors selected from the shipping and mercantile communities'. He was appointed a director of the Suez Canal Company and in 1903 became one of three vice-presidents. He was created a KCMG in 1891 and a GCMG in 1897, and became a knight of the Order of St John and a member of the Légion d'Honneur. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for the City of London, and the University of Aberdeen honoured him with an LLD in 1892. (1500-2500 GBP)