Exhibition of a 42lb. Nugget of Gold at Melbourne.

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April 16th [London], 1853. Ink sketch with caption in two hands, 225 x 180 mm., apparently unsigned; a little dusted and slightly creased, particularly at top left, but a very attractive image, mounted and framed. The original sketch of a contemporary London cartoon of a famous "breakfast" held in honour of Edward Hammond Hargraves on 3 December 1852. Testament to the international fascination with the Australian Rush, the printed version of this cartoon would be published in the Illustrated London News on 16 April 1853.

This cartoon was a light-hearted notice on the Gold Rush in Australia, with the caption "Exhibition of a 42 lb. Nugget of Gold at Melbourne". The longer notice written here gives the story in its essentials: 'The illustration shows this system of table decking to have reached Australia for the Nugget of Gold which our artist has pictured, formed one of the dishes at a déjeuner given at Melbourne, in Decr. last to Mr Hargreaves (sic.), by his friends & admirers in recognition of his discovery of gold in South Australia on which occasion he was created a Magistrate. April 16th 1853. Illustd. News.'

This is rather cryptic, but the phrase "to have reached Australia" is the giveaway, as it confirms that the cartoon was for an international paper, and that the "Illustd. News" therefore, is the Illustrated London News. This is further confirmed by an informative article by Peter Dowling, published online as 'Gold in Australia: Image and Text in the Illustrated London News' (La Trobe Journal 67, Autumn 2001). As Dowling shows, the ILN was a 'rich source of imagery relating to Australia during the gold rushes', and this image evidently formed part of this visual documentation; Dowling's article confirms that an image with this exact caption was indeed published in the paper on 16 April 1853.

Hargraves, of course, was the famous gold publicist who first announced the discovery of gold at Ophir near Bathurst. He went on to take all manner of official positions in relation to the discoveries, and in 1852 had done some surveys in his new position as commissioner of crown lands. He arrived unheralded in Melbourne in December, but reports in the press led to him being fêted, including at the famous breakfast depicted here. William Westgarth was in the chair at a "breakfast" that meandered on well into the evening (Geoffrey Serle, The Golden Age, p. 119).

The cartoonist has depicted a well-heeled gentlemen in a top-hat and suit leaning casually on the table, pondering an enormous gold nugget. To the right a genteel couple, he bearded and she bonneted, admire the nugget, while in the background two other ladies and a child crane forward. Signs adorning the store announce "Jameson and Moore Gold Brokers" and "Land for Sale".

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• Bestellnummer: 710_492

• Antiquariat: Hordern House (AUSTRALIA)