Stock No. 3036	Victorian silver Worshipful Company of Cutlers Livery Badge
	Striking Victorian silver Livery Badge of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers. Presented to Walter Ashmole on 15th September 1886. The obverse of the medal is signed B. Wyon. The medal is circular and has a rotating suspension loop. Obverse: The full coat of arms, including supporters, crest and motto. The coat of arms consists of a shield with three pairs of crossed swords, supported on either side by two rampant elephants. Above, is the Company's crest of a harnessed elephant bearing on its back a castle with two pennons. Beneath the coat of arms, on a ribbon, is the Company motto POUR PARVENIR A BONNE FOY (To succeed by good faith). Between the folds of the ribbon is a caduceus, the winged staff of Mercury entwined with two serpents. On either side is an oak leaf branch in full leaf. Reverse: Within a "Gothic" border, on the upper part of the reverse is the shield and motto from the arms of the City of London. Beneath is inscribed : Walter Ashmole/ LIVERY/ 15th September 1886.
	Maker :- Benjamin Wyon

Condition :-Extremely Fine and nicely toned
Circa :- 1886
Size :-	2.75 inches (69.85 mm) long in all 2 inches (50.8 mm) diameter
Walter Ashmole was admitted to the Livery on 15th September 1886 by redemption. He became a Steward on 21st November 1888 and became part of the Court of Assistance on 19th April 1922. Walter Ashmole died on 8th January 1927. The cutlers were an organised craft early in the 13th century. The first Hall, completed in 1285 was in Poultry and they received their first Charter in 1416. Their arms were granted on 7th May 1476 and the cr est was added on 10th May 1622 by Sir William Segar, Garter King of Arms when he replaced the earlier grant. In the early 17th century, the trade concentrated in Sheffield but surgical instrument making remained in London, where apprentices were fostered. Scholarships were awarded to Oxford and Cambridge and at the City of London School. The Livery numbers about 100. The winged staff of Mercury with two entwined serpents is often used to indicate success in commerce as, for example, in the arms of Lloyds of London and has no particular significance to the Cutlers. It is possible that the medallist, Benjamin Wyon, was asked to incorporate the staff of Aesculapius in his design, which only has one serpent and no wings. since Aesculapius was a famous physician who became the Greek God of medicine. His staff became the traditional symbol of medicine, although the winged caduceus has more lately been adopted by some military medical corps and physicians.

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