b'53389and inscriptions for Mace and then gilded, or re-gilded. The number of silversmiths, particularly in Melbourne, in 1881 were legion and any number would have been capable of the 1850s gold boom but no doubt they welcomed suchdoing such work.lucrative commissions at any time. Even later when bare-fistedIt does not seem clear if either of the early, Sydney belts by fighting was considered illegal, the funds for prize-fightingCohen and Lamb was presented to Foley as Champion of purses and belts were provided by a fraternity of gentlemen,Australia. Larry Foley, often credited with the founding of The Fancy, which patronised pugilism. The membership ofmodern boxing in Australia, is mentions as being presented the group included the leading lights of the colony: lawyers,with a championship gold and silver belt after becoming doctors, rich businessmen and even gentlemen in high publicHeavyweight Champion in Australia in 1879, a contest for office. Because of this involvement, police enforcement ofwhich he was trained by Jem Mace. Houstone also mentions any laws against fighting was often merely token. Substantiala champion boxers belt, made by J J Cohen in Sydney (or in sums were available for pries and purse of 500 and 1,000England as later described in the press), which had originally were regularly awarded. When Mace was engaged to providebeen presented to Isaac Read in Sydney in 1847, then came exhibition bouts in Sydney, he was paid an amazing 500 ainto the possession of Foley who presented the silver belt month. But a heavy, silver belt was always considered theto his protg, Peter Jackson, Champion Boxer of Australia ultimate and appropriate fighters prize. in 1886. Is it possible that the idea for this came from Foley The earliest of three belts made in 1840s Sydney andhaving been awarded the Lamb gold and silver belt in Sydney mentioned by Houstone was that awarded to Sparkes, madewhich had initially been given to Bill Sparkes in 1846, and by Lamb. Richard Lamb, silversmith, had arrived in Sydneythen making this belt available for presentation to Mace as he from London in September 1838 and commenced businesswas about to leave Australia? It was quite common practice by November. Despite being declared insolvent in 1844, Lambfor sportsmen to give their awards and prizes to others. Jem seems to have continued business and then retired in late 1858.Mace also presented his own silver prizes to fighters he John Hawkins, in his book, Nineteenth Century Australian Silver,considered worthy.describes Lamb as mainly relying on importing English silverBy the early 1900s Mace had spent all the money from the and it seems from the Sydney press that he was held in somesale of a hotel he had owned in Bourke Street, Melbourne. No esteem as a silversmith. He is reported as making a silver cupdoubt he had also sold the belt, along with any other remaining for the Goulburn Races in 1848, as well as the silver boxing beltprizes, even photographs, as he had fallen on hard times presented to Bill Sparkes. and apparently relied upon the generosity of old friends in the Lamb is known to have used imported silver items, and as theyears before his death in England in 1910.central portion of the belt appears to be in a style differentThe Sparkes/Mace belt, long thought lost, was recently from the rest of the belt, it may be that Lamb produced a beltdiscovered in the deceased estate of a London collector who for Sparkes incorporating a new central panel into importedhad purchased it because of a great uncle who was a boxer components, probably the two panels either side of the centraland contemporary of Mace and had followed or accompanied section and the British coat of arms. These appear to be byMace on his tours of South Africa and Australia. Presumably, a different, even more skilled maker to the central panel andthis person had removed part of the cartouche which carried the Australian arms. The stamped marks on the reverse of thethe inscription to Mace at the top of the buckle, evident in a belt are not at all clear but the clearest is similar to I B. Asmodern photograph which was kept with the belt.there are no clear identifying marks on the belt and the main$15,00025,000identification results from Bells description of Sparkes belt, it[Additional online images see the full belt detailed sections may be that the 1846 belt was reworked with new cartouchesand the presentation case]'