Diameter: 26.5cm x Height: 2.4cm
A circular shaped polished pewter commemorative plate made for the 1976 Olympic sailing events. It has an inscription on the brim of the plate that reads "Kingston Canada Home of the 1976 Yachting Events XXI Olympia". On the centre of the plate is an image of the Kingston City Hall with raised outlines. Below the image of the City Hall is the Olympic rings. The central image is surrounded by six sail boats in a radiating arrangement. The six sail boats likely represent the six different boat classes that the sailing events were divided into; Finn, 470, Flying Dutchman, Tornado, Tempest, and Soling Class. The back of the plate has engraved words on the top of the brim, reads "GOSTLIN JEWELLERS LIMITED// KINGSTON, CANADA// LIMITED EDITION". There are multiple manufacturers' marks on the base of the plate, including the words "Wilton - Columbia Pa. U.S.A.", 2 symbols of "RWP" inside a circle, and another mark that is illegible.
The 1976 Summer Olympic Games were predominantly held in Montreal. However, since Montreal was not a suitable place to hold the sailing events, Portsmouth Olympic Harbour (constructed in 1969) in Kingston, Ontario was reconstructed in 1974 in time for the 1976 Olympic Sailing event. The sailing program took place from July 19th to July 27th 1976.
The Wilton family has been involved in the metal casting industry since 1892 when Ralph P. Wilton, Sr. began working for his uncle at the Susquehanna Casting Company near Wrightsville, Pennsylvania. At that time, the foundry produced industrial iron castings for other manufacturers. Half a century later, Ralph P. Wilton, Jr. expanded the family business through other ventures, such as Wilton Products (1940) which made cast iron gifts and the Wilton Brass Company (1955) which initially produced industrial brass, aluminum, and iron castings. The company's greatest success occurred in 1963 when Wilton, Jr. developed the formula for a unique aluminum-based alloy called Armetale, which led to a new line of Wilton products. In 1969, the Wilton Brass Company relocated to Mount Joy, Pennsylvania and changed its name to reflect its new direction. Today, Wilton Armetale combines innovative design with old-world craftsmanship to produce a successful line of serveware, giftware, and decorative accessories.
