Herbert museum buys 1851 exhibition ribbon medal

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Herbert museum buys 1851 exhibition ribbon medal

Postby dutchman » Wed Dec 22, 2021 7:13 pm

A Coventry museum has bought a medal awarded to the city in recognition of a ribbon made for the 1851 Great Exhibition

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It will go on display at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum near a piece of the ribbon it was awarded for.

The ribbon demonstrates the "pinnacle" of the city's ribbon weaving history and led to Queen Victoria ordering a quantity of it, the museum said.

The medal was awarded for the "taste and skill" in producing the material.

Museum curator Ali Wells said: "The Coventry Town Ribbon was woven specially for the 1851 Great Exhibition and its story is perhaps the pinnacle of Coventry's ribbon weaving history."

It was designed by 20-year-old pupil Thomas Clack and woven by Thomas Robinson on a Jacquard mechanism mounted on a single hand loom, the museum said.

The pattern required more than 10,000 cards and nine shuttles with various coloured silks being used.

More than 60m (200ft) of ribbons were produced in the months leading up to the exhibition which aimed to promote British manufacturing, Mr Wells said.

The museum was able to purchase the item with support from Arts Council England and Victoria and Albert Museum purchase grant fund.

:bbc_news:
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