Athlete's Presentation Belt
SilversmithMade by
Walker and Hall
WearerWorn by
Donald Dinnie
(Balnacraig, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, 1837 - 1916)
Date1899 - 1900
Object NameBelt
Mediumsilver and gilt
ClassificationsApplied Art
DimensionsOverall: Length: 107.5 cm, Height: 10.5 cm
AcquisitionPurchased in 1982 with assistance from the National Fund for Acquisitions.
LocationOn Display - Provost Skene's House
Object numberABDAG008537
About MeMade in Sheffield this presentation belt is a magnificent tribute to a man who captured the imagination of the Scottish people during the late Victorian and early Edwardian period. The belt consists of ten silver plaques each moulded with a representation of Dinnie's various sporting activities, and engraved with summaries of his major achievements in wrestling, hammer and weight throwing, tossing the caber, leaping, flat and hurdle racing and other sports. The central plaque has a moulded depiction of Donald Dinnie with his arms folded across his chest.Dinnie was born in Balnacraig near Aboyne, Aberdeenshire in 1837. He turned professional athlete and toured the world at the age of 30, winning over 11,000 competitions and a total of £28,000 in prize-money. Despite his success he died in 1916 at the age of 79 in poverty.
