Messenger Prize (Birmingham and Midland Institute), 1878-1951

Start Date: 1878
End Date: 1951 (Presumed)

Type: Competition

Description: Art school prizes ranged from £5 to £10; prizes of £10 usually awarded for 3-dimensional modelled designs.

In 1885 one prize was offered for 'the best model of a set of door furniture, finger-plates, escutcheon, door-knob, etc., to be executed either in wrought iron, or in brass repousse; one prize for 'the best model of a jewel for neck ornament, either in silver or gold enriched with not more than five precious stones. Enamel may be used.'

From 1886 two prizes were offered for modelled designs 'suitable for execution in brass, iron, bronze etc., for door knockers, fire-dogs, jewellery items, wax and clay model designs, memorial tablets, etc.' Following this two prizes were offered each year, at least one of which continued to be offered for objects in the aforementioned materials. [summary]

Policy: 'No candidate having received a prize will be allowed to compete a second time for a similar prize'.

Competition Details: Donated under the will of the late Samuel Messenger. Offered by the Birmingham and Midland Institute.

Citing this record

'Messenger Prize (Birmingham and Midland Institute), 1878-1951', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/event.php?id=msib4_1205843490, accessed 24 Jun 2021]