Description
New Zealand, the 1950 British Empire Games, Bronze Prize Medal (51mm), signed G.W. (for Mayer & Kean Ltd, Wellington), awarded to the Olympic Fencer Allan Louis Neville Jay. Obverse: Helmeted Bust of Britannia facing right, rays of rising sun in the background, date “1950” to right, legend around, “BRITISH EMPIRE GAMES”. Reverse: Union shield above, map of New Zealand below, floral sprays either side, inscription engraved “· AL JAY AUSTRALIA ·” at the centre. An early prize medal to one of the most successful Fencers in British history, at the time representing Australia; unique and very rare as such. Extremely fine or better
Allan Louis Neville Jay was born on the 30th June 1931 in London, England, and spent much of his early childhood within Australia. He would compete internationally in Fencing for the first time in 1950, representing Australia at the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland, the fourth of its kind and the first games after the Second World War. He was awarded this featured Bronze Medallion for his accomplishments, a bright beginning to a fencing career that is now known as one of most successful in British history.
Allan competed in five Olympic Games in both épée and foil, winning silver medals at the 1960 Rome Olympics in individual and team épée, and was Great Britain’s flag bearer in the 1964 Olympic Games. At the World Fencing Championships, Allan won a bronze medal in team foil in 1955, a bronze medal in individual foil in 1957, and a gold medal in individual foil while also winning a silver medal in individual épée in 1959, becoming the first British world champion in foil and the last fencer to win two individual medals in one year. Also, he won three gold medals while fencing both foil and épée at each of the 1953 and 1957 Maccabiah Games.