each medal depicting a medieval longbowman aiming to the right with the text 'A.D. 400' on the front, the first silver-gilt , the rear inscribed ' Championship of the World 1938, Mrs Weston Martyr 1, 973, London' on target coloured ribbon and clasp inscribed 'London 1938'; the second of white metal, the rear inscribed '90 metres, Team 2nd Score' on archery target coloured ribbon, the clasp inscribed 'London 1938'; the third similar, copper-alloy, no rear inscription, the ribbon of red and green; the fourth with target-coloured ribbon; the last of copper alloy, no inscription or ribbon, the rear with a circular decorative holly wreath, the case 13.3 cm (5)

Provenance

The second and third medals from The Brian Wright Archery Collection, 2009

The World Archery Championship was hosted in London between the 8th and the 13th August 1938. It was the eighth World Championship, and was organised by the World Archery Federation (now FITA). The first medal in this collection was won by Nora Weston-Martyr, who came joint first place with Louise Nettleton in the women's individual category as they both achieved the same score. Articles by Nora's husband, the yaughtsmen and writer Joseph Weston-Martyr, recount her great aptitude for the sport. According to Joseph, she only began practicing archery ten months before the championship, but went on to win both the British and the World Archery Championship in quick succession. For further details, see (Weston-Martyr, 1949, 1950).