Antique Historic 9k Gold Card Case Australian Sporting Social Interest - RPAYC Rawhiti 1912

An important antique 9k yellow gold card case with Australian Yachting and social history interest suspended on a detachable chain and hanging ring.  This was awarded as a prize for a yacht to prominent family in the social history of Australia and retailed by one of Sydney's best jewellery stores at the time.  Cases such as this were used for calling cards and were suspended from the waist.  

The case is engraved to the lid "R.P.A.Y.C. won by Rawhiti 1912-13 Season".  This inscription denotes this piece as a prize awarded by the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club of Pitt Water Newport to the Yacht "Rawhiti" owned by Frank Albert of the Albert Music Stores and "Boomerang" House. "Boomerang"in Sydney's Elizabeth Bay,  for the greatest part of the twentieth century, was considered one of the most desirable and expensive houses in the country and has been subsequently Heritage Listed.  In more recent times it featured in Mission Impossible 2.

Engraved to the front of the case with "MEA" which is the monogram for Frank Albert's wife Minnie Eliza Albert (nee Buttel).  The Biography of Michel Francois (Frank) Albert (1874-1962) is included in the Australian Dictionary of Biography and references both his wife Minnie and yacht "Rawhiti".

Hallmarked to the internal lip for 9k gold and for William Neale and Son Ltd of Chester along with date letter for 1912. It is also hand engraved to the inside lip "Wm. Farmer and Co 30 Hunter Street Sydney" for the retailer.

This is a museum quality item having so many significant links to the sporting and social history of Australia.

Total weight 56.3grms - overall dimensions of body of case 84 x 60 x 8mm - 1912 England