Police Gazette Championship Belt and presentation case awarded to Ezzard Charles
date: label: Date
content: 1948
name: label: Issued by
content: National Police Gazette, American, 1845 - 1977
label: Received by
content: Ezzard Mack Charles, American, 1921 - 1975
label: Manufactured by
content: Unidentified
notes: label: Description
content: Copper alloy boxing championship belt with presentation case awarded to Ezzard Charles in 1948. Consists of large central plate and four plates either side. Central plate has circular photo of Ezzard Charles above which is an eagle with outstretched wings flanked on both sides by US, British and what might be French flags. Flags are enameled. The top of the plate has detached circular element with clear colored stones (possible paste or glass) encompassing the head of a wolf. The eagle carries a banner that reads [POLICE GAZETTE HEAVY WEIGHT CHAMPION PRIZE RING BELT OF THE WORLD]. At bottom of the central plate is a banner that reads [PRESENTED BY H. H. ROSWELL POLICE GAZETTE / 1948].
label: Description
content: Looking left of the central plate the first plate depicts a boxer in raised relief, next is an English rose, next is a US shield with eagle and the final plate is engraved with previous recipients of the award. Attached to the final plate is a clasp with two holes for fastening the belt. Looking right of central plate depicted in raised relief is another boxer, next is the Scottish thistle, followed by the Irish harp and the final plate is engraved with previous winner of this award. Attached to the final plate is the other half of the clasp with two raised stubs that coincide with the holes on the other half. The plates are joined together with hinges with long barrels, blunt at the top and pointed at the bottom.
label: Description
content: The exterior of the case is black with three closing clasps and a central handle. Interior is lined with dark blue vinyl/paper and purple velvet and there are four pairs of Cu alloy straps that would have been wrapped in velvet and used to hold belt in place.
place: label: Place depicted
content: United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Athletes
label: Topic
content: Boxing
label: Topic
content: Sports
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Awards, Medals, and Insignia
label: Exhibition
content: Sports: Leveling the Playing Field
label: On View
content: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 052
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Deborah Charles in loving memory of Ezzard Charles
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2017.28.2.1-.2
objectType: label: Type
content: belts (costume accessories)
label: Type
content: cases (containers)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: copper alloy
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (Belt): 9 3/4 × 41 3/4 × 1 in. (24.8 × 106 × 2.5 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (Case): 3 × 45 × 12 in. (7.6 × 114.3 × 30.5 cm)