The Terranova Collection of Beaux-Arts and Art Nouveau medals
Over the past couple of decades, Tony Terranova, the prominent New York coin dealer, has assembled a great personal collection of medals belonging to what is often acknowledged as the highpoint of modern medallic art: pieces produced by French and other sculptors in the second half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. When Tony decided to sell his collection in early 2014, we purchased some of the choicest pieces, which we are offering to our customers. Prices of medals from the Terranova collection: in US dollars, as of early March, 2014; the letters after the prices are for internal use, necessitated by certain considerations respecting the Ņhired helpÓ I occasionally use.
1. FRANCE. Louis Liard, Educator/Philosopher, 1899.
54x69mm silver, by Chaplain. Maier 78, Baxter 15. Obverse: Bust left. Reverse: Draped female representing Learning, holding aloft a torch, seated on a globe (countries visible in low relief). The portrait is characteristically excellent; Chaplain was as much in demand as a medallic portraitist as anyone. It is the stunning beautiful reverse, however, that makes this plaquette so popular, in common with many gems from Chaplain. NEARLY MINT STATE. $450/are. Also available in bronze, NEARLY PERFECT,$185/BCK.BRONZE SOLD
2. FRANCE. 100th Birthday of Michel Eugene Chevreul, Chemist, 1886.
68mm silver, by Roty. Maier 93. Obverse: Portrait. Reverse: The goddess of French Youth presents the old professor, mercifully allowed to be seated, with a laurel wreath. Chevreul was an important academician, but in 1886 the most remarkable thing about anyone would have been a birth year of 1786. Roty's mastery of portraiture is in full evidence. As for his influence in the USA, the reverse slightly recalls St. Gaudens' monument (ca1905) of a seated Peter Cooper at 7th Street and the Bowery, which this cataloger walks past three times a week. Tarnish on shoulder; slight graze behind head; otherwise MINT STATE. $550/coe. Also available in cast bronze, 98mm, $1,250/BEKE; and struck bronze, 68mm,$249/LBK.
3. FRANCE. Death of Sadi Carnot, Assassinated President of France, 1894.
58x81mm, silver, by Roty. Maier 102, Jones 323, Baxter 35. Obverse: The slain president lies in state, attended by a mournful goddess (France); above, a landscape with basilica and date; at bottom, "The Country in Grief." Reverse: The coffin borne toward The Pantheon by females, their figures draped. Low relief, the reverse almost "misty." A masterwork of bas relief, yet Roty takes care to make an excellent, tiny portrait of Carnot. The plaquette form had been little used since the Renaissance, when it was nearly always uniface, with mythological and religious themes predominating. Roty's two-sided rectangular medal was a great success with the public, as it should have been, simply because it was great art and captured the mood of the shocked and saddened nation. Further, the low, painterly relief, on a piece of the same canvass shape as most paintings, attracted attention from the wider arts community. Any doubt that Roty was in the first rank of French artists would not have survived the appearance of this piece; three years later his Sower design adorned French silver coins. If any medal/plaquette can be ruled obligatory in an Art-Nouveau collection, it is this one. As expected it is not scarce in bronze but quite scarce in silver. EF, lovely, nicer than normal! $850/OLK. Illustrated piece is from Terranova Collection; that offered is from our stock.
4. FRANCE. "Semper" (Always), 1890's.
Generic marriage medal, necessarily ND, intended for engraving. 41mm silver, by Roty. Maier 98. Obverse: A young couple; He puts a ring on Her finger. Reverse: Statue of Hymen on pedestal; tree; landscape. Not engraved. This medal is always seen in silver and most surviving examples have, in the open area on the reverse, a beautifully engraved monogram of the couple's initials. In recent years it has stopped being so common, even when named. Roty sold the rights to the medal to the Paris Mint for an astounding 5000 Francs (about $1000!). Surely, no equal medal has ever been made for use as a wedding gift. I recall finding an unnamed piece and having it cleverly engraved for the wedding of well-known medal collector Scott Miller and his wife. About EF. $149/BLE. Illustrated piece is from Terranova Collection; that offered is from our stock.
5. FRANCE. French School at Athens, 1848-1898.
Silver, 60.5mm, by Roty. Obverse: Archaeologia seated in ancient ruins holds up an excavated statuette. Reverse: Acropolis; fa¨ade of the School below. Of great interest to collectors of Greek numismatics. VF-EF overall. $1,000/RKE. Illustrated piece is from Terranova Collection; that offered is from our stock.
6. FRANCE. Universal Exposition, Paris, 1900.
36x51mm silvered bronze, by Roty. Jones 327. Often included in Olympic collections, and also commemorates the turn of the century. Obverse: Nude male angel, Genius, representing Time, receives a torch from an expiring robed female, representing the 19th Century. On reverse, a laurel spray in clouds, and below, a view of the fairgrounds, featuring Grand Palais and Petit Palais (still Parisian landmarks).
The first medal for the new century, and maybe the prettiest The Olympic games were held at the Exposition, and this piece is often included in Olympics collections. Roty was paid 10,000 Francs (about $2000) for his work. The Mint exhibit sold about 30,000 examples, nearly all in silvered bronze. Bronze examples are somewhat rare and sell for multiples of the silvered-bronze price. One reason is that condition is a concern; the plated pieces are prone to acquire patches of uneven patina and rarely tone attractively. This piece has nice color. EF. $195/BHK. Illustrated piece is from Terranova Collection; that offered is from our stock.
7. FRANCE. International Congress of Medicine, 1900.
48x63mm silver, by Bottˇe. Obverse: Portrait of Fˇlix Guyon. Reverse: Tribute to Science: Old bedridden man attended by Goddess of Science with Lamp of Knowledge, at bottom, a dying figure and a tree stump, from which new life grows. Note the accurately depicted tiny medical paraphernalia near the bed. It is so characteristic of these well-trained medalists that they sweat the small details. CHOICE ALMOST UNCIRCULATED. $325/lok ON HOLD
8. FRANCE. Louis Ernest Barrias, Sculptor, 1884.
41mm bronze, by Daniel-Dupuis. Portrait / inscription. CHOICE ALMOST UNCIRCULATED. $95/re.
9. FRANCE. Horticulture, ND (1899).
48x61mm vermeil (gilt silver), by Daniel-Dupuis. Maier 122. Two women, carefully pruning a young tree (still in a pot). Reverse: Infant holding flower-bunch. Inscribed from the Horticultural Society of Meaux to its president M. Gaud, 1925. Probably the finest medal you can give a gardener/horticulturalist. Margo Russell bought one from me when she needed such a gift. Choice EF. $235/BSK. Illustrated piece is from Terranova Collection; that offered is from our stock.
10. FRANCE. Alliance Fran¨aise.
68mm silver, by Daniel-Dupuis. Obverse: France seated by tree, instructing small children representing Asia, America, Middle East and Africa. Reverse: Cartouche on open book. Designed 1894, but not struck until 1898. Often engraved, as intended, with dates of presentation into the 1930s, so this is a common medal, but very desirable in this, the largest size (and silver!). Inscribed to J. Mintzer. The Terranova piece brought $587.50, same condition as ours, except that ours has light scratches on the bottom of the reverse.$350/LSE. Illustrated piece is from Terranova Collection; that offered is from our stock.
11. FRANCE. The Spring, (1899).
The rare LARGE VERSION. 75x131mm bronze, by Daniel-Dupuis. Maier 120. Uniface. Nude girl washing with spring water. The companion piece to The Nest, offered below and, like it, acquired a good 15 years ago from us, for about $325. Slight spots and some nicks. NEARLY EXTREMELY FINE. Offered with #6, below as a pair: $1,250/beke.
12. FRANCE. The Nest, (1899).
The rare LARGE VERSION. 75x131mm bronze, by Daniel-Dupuis. Maier 121. Uniface. Nude girl finding a bird nest with chicks. The companion piece to The Spring, offered above and, like it, acquired a good 15 years ago from us, for about $325. Slight spots and some nicks. NEARLY EXTREMELY FINE. Offered with #5, above as a pair: $1,250/beke. Also available as a two-sided bronze striking, 36x66mm, with a reverse of a nude child on a branch playing with a bird. Choice EF, $115/SK.
13. FRANCE. "History." Medal for the Paris Mint at the Exposition Universelle, and the Turn of the Century.
50mm silver, by Daniel-Dupuis. Maier p.34, fig.17. Sold at the Mint's exhibit, thus common but the SUPERB MINT STATE representative of the genre and quite lovely. MINT STATE. $195/bhk. Also available in bronze. EF.$75/HE.
14. FRANCE. Daniel-Dupuis, Medalist (1849-1899). Self-Portrait Medal, Uncertain Date.
26.5mm silver, thin flan, edge unmarked. Uniface. Daniel-Dupuis may have modeled his portrait in the 1870s, but it was used after his death. The small size would be suitable for pieces D-D wished to give away to friends or business associates. From a Baldwin's auction, described (by Daniel Fearon) as a posthumous issue of 1900, and "very rare." ALMOST UNCIRCULATED. $150/bae.
15. FRANCE. Souvenir of Ascending the Eiffel Tower.
44.5mm silvered bronze, by Charpentier. Steelworkers / inscription. The only common Charpentier work. Above average for piece. ALMOST UNCIRCULATED. $30/LK. Also available in silvered bronze, MINT STATE, toned a lovely blue-grey; Exceptional for this piece; $99/RE.
16. FRANCE. Fran¨ois Coppˇe, Poet & Novelist.
80mm bronze, cast as issued, by Charpentier. Portrait in profile, facing a "military hat." Quite rare. Baldwin's May 2012, £420 (about $800, all in). SUPERB MINT STATE. $800/oee.
17. FRANCE. Duval-Janvier, Machine for Reducing Medallic Models to Dies for Striking, 1908.
53x61mm bronze (as always), by Charpentier. Jones 345, Baxter 23. Obverse: bare-chested worker operating a coining press, a "balancier", by his own manpower. Reverse: The same image, repeated three times in descending sizes, "Reduction et Frappe de Medailles." An advertising medal. Charpentier was not enamored of silky female images and, more than most, was content to celebrate the dignity of work. Accordingly, his worker is depicted bare to the waist, in keeping with his rigorous, sweaty task, but he is not idealized by nudity. The Janvier reducing machine made it possible to produce medals which started in larger sizes, modeled in soft materials like wax and clay. This is, therefore, one of the most important art medals. A recent sale: Baldwin's, May 9, 2012, 200 Pounds (almost $400). EF, but slight spotting on the obverse, moderate spotting on the reverse.$199/BOE. Illustrated piece is from Terranova Collection; that offered is from our stock. SOLD
18. FRANCE. Dr. Paul Segond, Obstetrician, 1905.
80x62mm bronze, by Charpentier. Maier 152. Obverse: Bust left. Reverse: An operation in progress. NEARLY EXTREMELY FINE. $249/lee. SOLD
19. FRANCE. Painting.
41x52mm silver, by Charpentier. A young boy with brush and easel. Reverse: Wreath of palm and olive. Baldwin's. May 2012, 130 Pounds (about $250) --in bronze! Polished, VF overall. $195/BHE. Also available in bronze. AE Choice, ex Rockefeller Dodge Collection. $125/BCE. Illustrated piece is from Terranova Collection; that offered is from our stock.
20. FRANCE. Vincent Dindy, Composer (1851-1931), 1907.
48x56mm bronze, cast as issued, by Charpentier. Uniface, portrait plaquette. Tony Terranova paid $750. Not in the PBE exhibit, which had an enormous group of Charpentier pieces (115 different). Doubtless very rare. AS MADE. $600/kee.
21. FRANCE. Orpheus, (1899).
68mm bronze, by Coudray. Maier 223. Laureated portrait of the ancient musician, holding his lyre. Reverse: Winged male angel, seated on a blank cartouche; musical instruments. The Paris Mint sold 4500 copies at the 1900 Universal Exposition (mostly bronze, of course). Truly one of the classics of Art-Nouveau, the obverse was used as a cover design for Mark Jones' The Art of the Medal. I have had considerable experience with this medal. It is very occasionally met with in a uniface version of large size, four inches plus. I sold one to the actor Sylvester Stallone, who was shopping for paperweights. About 15 years ago I purchased two examples in a medals collection from the estate of a Charles Kurtz heir. He was the art director of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, but previously was an arts official for the US exhibit at the 1900 Paris exposition. The two pieces were likely from the 4500 sold at the Expo, but Kurtz would only have been one of many persons, immersed in the arts, who fell under the spell of the medal as art. The cartouche on the reverse is obviously intended for engraving, but awarded bronzes are very rare. EF+. The Terranova piece went for $282; weÕre selling ours for $135/BRE. Also available as a 35mm bronze ŅrestrikeÓ, edgemarked 1985; there were no originals in this size. $65/KE. We also have this as a large cast uniface plaquette, about 9-10Ó, $2,500/ . Illustrated piece is from Terranova Collection; that offered is from our stock.
22. FRANCE. The Farm, (or "Agriculture")
100x63mm bronze, by Coudray. Obverse: Plowing with an oxen pair. Reverse: harvesting wheat with a scythe. Fine tribute to labor, agriculture and nature, in a large size. Included in the US Mint Collection, as cataloged by Comparette in 1912. Nice VF. $125/BEE. Illustrated piece is from Terranova Collection; that offered is from our stock. SOLD
23. FRANCE. Child with Roses, 1906 (Engraved Date 1908).
33x55mm bronze on stand, by Ovide Yencesse. Maier 196, Jones 334. Obverse: Little girl, spilling roses from a bundle made from her pulled-up skirt; one rose tumbles off the image, onto the blank area at bottom. Reverse: A single rose, with stem & leaves. An example of this artist's low-relief style, sometimes described as "painterly". EF. $175/BKE. Illustrated piece is from Terranova Collection; that offered is from our stock.
24. FRANCE. Professional Syndicate of Electrical Industries, ca. 1920-25.
68mm silver, by Charles Pillet. Obverse: Flying nude of some girth, directing lightning at the earth (or maybe just France). Reverse: Power plant in a valley; name of awardee engraved on a cartouche. CHOICE EXTREMELY FINE. $295/lce.
25. FRANCE. Mulhouse United with France, 1798-1898.
68mm bronze, by Vernon. Obverse: French goddess welcomes girl (Mulhouse); legend "The Republic of Mulhouse reposes in the bosom of the Republic of France." Reverse: Legend, shield, flora, buildings. The city has bounced between France and Germany (as "Mulhausen"). NEARLY MINT STATE. $125.
26. FRANCE. Army Orphanage, WW1, ND.
Given in appreciation for donations. 32x32mm (plus integral loop), by Lalique. Uniface. Struck in SOLID SILVER, and Rare thus. On blank reverse, a number (482) of unknown significance. Normally struck in thin brass. Lalique created about 10 different premiums for war donations, struck in thin brass, sometimes gilt, or in paper ("carton"). Most are rare. The Orphanage piece is very common, but rare when struck on a solid flan. A choice piece, with beautiful glistening blue-black toning. CHOICE EXTREMELY FINE. $325/lhk. SOLD
27. FRANCE. Belgium. WW1 Donation Premium.
28mm silvered bronze, by Lalique. Angel before dead soldier / inscription. Rare. NEARLY MINT STATE. $149/ble. SOLD
28. FRANCE. Woman Bandaging Soldier, WW1.
49x41mm, cross-form, uniface, by Lalique. Rare. SUPERB MINT STATE. $550/cre, SOLD
29. FRANCE. Victory, 1908.
34x80mm silver, by L-J Cariat. PBE 35. Standing goddess / Fern and trumpet. Slightly dull toning. MINT STATE. $225/bre. Also available in bronze. EF with spotting. $90 (value of VF)/OK.
30. FRANCE. Elegy.
45x65mm silver, signed VP Dautel and ROME/1904. Maier 255 (as 1907?!), PBE 331. Woman's portrait, eyes closed, head thrust back. Reverse: A tree. Described with words, it doesn't sound like much, but the piece is haunting. EXTREMELY FINE. $295/lke.
31. FRANCE. Italy. International Exposition at Turin, 1911.
French Participation. Held during the 50th Anniversary of Italian Unification. 72x54mm, by Dautel. Obverse: Female personifications of the two nations, a worker seated near them, all overlooking the fairgrounds. Reverse: Shields of Italy, France, Turin (Torino) and Paris; in clouds, the liberating Italian army of the Unification campaign. ALMOST UNCIRCULATED. $149/blk. SOLD
32. FRANCE. Franco-Prussian War; the Ecole des Beaux Arts to its Fallen Students, 1887.
81mm silver, signed "DeGeorge 1887". Obverse: Draped female with palm branch before dead youth, nude, his sword broken, lying at top of steps; dates 1870-1871 in exergue. Reverse: Monument to the students, by Chapu and DeGeorge, featuring a bust of the school's star student, Henri Regnault, killed in the last few days of the conflict. (His Salome is at the Metropolitan Museum, NYC.) The combination of historical significance and artistic excellence have made this one of the most sought-after French medals. Perhaps due to its size, not enough were struck to remotely match this demand. In 35 years, I have seen only a couple in the market, with this the first in silver. CHOICE ALMOST UNCIRCULATED. $1,150/sok.
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32A. FRANCE. Britain. The "Entente Cordiale", 1903.
47x61mm silver, by Renˇ Grˇgoire. (NOT struck at Paris mint.) Obverse: The two nations. kissing warmly. Reverse: Ornate cartouche, engraved to Sir George Newnes, from the French newspaper Le Si¸cle. Newnes was an editor and publisher; his Strand Magazine first published the Sherlock Holmes stories. He sponsored the Newnes Cup for chess competitions between the USA and Britain, conducted by trans-Atlantic cable, 1896-1911 (a year after he died). CHOICE ALMOST UNCIRCULATED. $495/cee. SOLD
33. FRANCE. Bathers.
54mm bronze, by Abel Lafleur. CHOICE ALMOST UNCIRCULATED. $225/brk.
34. FRANCE. Rouen Chamber of Commerce.
71x51mm silvered bronze, by A. Guilloux. Obverse: Winged caduceus. Reverse: Commerce, seated, comforts a nude and voluptuous Rouen, behind, a ship. Bold and attractive, despite the overwrought symbolism. CHOICE ALMOST UNCIRCULATED. $199/bhk.
35. FRANCE. Chamber for Jewelry-Making, Goldsmithing and Silversmithing, 1901.
80x70mm bronze, by Camille Lef¸vre. Maier 220 (35x40mm) Obverse: Two women admiring jewelry, etc.; behind, in low relief, the mythological Juno and her peacock. Reverse: Chamber's name and foundation date; awarded to a professor of Drawing and Modeling (in 1925). A beautiful piece, further notable for its unusual shape. CHOICE ALMOST UNCIRCULATED. $295/lke. Sold; silver, 80 x 70 mm., a lovely EF in custom leather case, engraved as the Prix Martial-Bernard for ciselure (chasing) to Alexandre Bouvier, 1906, $450/cok.
36. FRANCE. Pro Patria. Patriotic Medal with Airplanes & Dirigible.
47x47mm silver, by J. P. Legastelois. Obverse: Miss France holding flag. Reverse: Military paraphernalia atop a cartouche; above, dirigible and airplanes. May have been issued just before WW1, as such award medals reinforced France's efforts to be militarily prepared; the sting of the Franco-Prussian war never subsided. Spotty tone, otherwise NEARLY MINT STATE. $195/bhe.
37. FRANCE. La Terre, 1887.
69mm bronze, by Levillain. Goddess in clouds/ classical figures in circular frieze. EF+. $175/BCE. Illustrated piece is from Terranova Collection; that offered is from our stock.
38. FRANCE. Education Protected?, Before 1902.
51x68mm silver, by A. Massoule. Obverse: Seated goddess with sword, holding a large shield over a reading youth. Reverse:1/2-wreath, rooster and an orb labeled FRANCE. Andre Paul Arthur Massoulle, 1851-1901, was primarily a sculptor. Many of his statues show figures with swords. Light marks, reverse field, otherwise CHOICE EXTREMELY FINE or better. $199/bhk.
39. FRANCE. Lazare Carnot.
68mm silver, by E. Mouchon. PBE 620; CGMP p.278. Obverse: Carnot at desk reviewing plans. Reverse: Standing goddess of the First Republic, and Winged Genius hammering at an anvil. Carnot (1753-1823), a fascinating figure throughout the Revolution and Napoleonic era, was a military engineer and important mathematician. Also a politician, he opposed Robespierre, and variously opposed and championed Napoleon. Uncommon in bronze, this medal must be rare in silver. A few tiny obverse spots, otherwise MINT STATE. $550/cke.
40. FRANCE. Angel Writing (Prize Medal), ND.
30x53mm silver, by E. Mouchon. Obverse: Angel resting arm on a plinth, writing on a tablet. Reverse: Holly sprig. MINT STATE. $195/bhe. Another in silver. EF. Engraved attractively in reverse field: 1893 GJ 1903 $165/BCE.
41. FRANCE. Nancy Chamber of Commerce, 1913.
68mm silver, by Victor Prouvˇ. Obverse: Seated woman with open book. Reverse: Building fa¨ade. EXTREMELY FINE and believed rather rare. $450/ase.
42. FRANCE. Mother and Child, Under Tree.
34mm thick silver, by Victor Prouvˇ. Rare. ALMOST UNCIRCULATED. $165/bak. SOLD
43. FRANCE. Python, (1936). SOLD
52x75mm bronze, by Renˇ Thˇnot. Uniface. Thˇnot gained great attention for his series of 10 plaquettes depicting African animals in lively and interesting compositions. They are always in bronze, struck at the Paris mint. Thˇnot soon became the chief engraver at the Chilean national mint, retiring in 1958. His series places him in the conversation with Barye and Victor Peter as a great animalier. LOVELY EXTREMELY FINE. $185/bke.
44. FRANCE. Goddess of War, WWI.
68mm silver, unsigned (Paris mint). Silver wartime Paris mint medals, especially the 68mm ones, are unsurprisingly scarce. Spotty MINT STATE. $239/bse ON HOLD.
45. FRANCE. Helmeted Maiden of War.
Companion piece to the previous. 68mm silver, unsigned (Paris mint). Spotty MINT STATE. $239/bse.
46. AUSTRIA. Germany. Franz von Lenbach, Historical Painter, (1903).
65x110mm silvered, joined galvanos, by Heinrich Kautsch. Baxter 266 (60x85mm struck; illustrated obv & rev). Obverse: Portrait. Reverse: Seated female holding palette; in distance, a plaza, buildings. Lenbach is often considered Germany's greatest portrait painter. (Liszt, Wagner, Bismarck, etc.). He also worked a good bit in Vienna. The Austrian medalist Kautsch was known for making fine portrait plaquettes of his artist friends. Some darker toning, otherwise NEARLY SUPERB MINT STATE. $495/clk. SOLD
47. AUSTRIA. Heinrich Heine, "Jewish" Writer (1797-1856), Struck 1903.
45x76mm silvered bronze, by Heinrich Kautsch. Jones 346, Baxter 263. Obverse: Portrait. Reverse: Female borne aloft on cloud; inscription of tribute from Kautsch. Heine converted to Christianity in 1825 but this medal still has a following among Judaica collectors. Swirled toning. Rare. NEARLY MINT STATE. $425/ahe.
48. AUSTRIA. Generic Award Medal.
35x56mm, bronze, curved top, by H. Kautsch. Woman with wreath / laurel sprig, cartouche. Not awarded. Spots. EXTREMELY FINE. $95/re.
49. BELGIUM. The "Keyhole" Medal, 1911.
39x65mm silver (lightly gilt), by Jean-Baptiste DeKeyser (1857-1927). Obverse: Woman seen thru a keyhole. Reverse: Circular insert die, also set within a keyhole design. This insert die could be changed and the medal could be issued for other organizations, in other years. This one is for an organization of "commercial secretaries." Belgian medals were far more often struck in silvered bronze than in silver. Named pieces, such as this, are more likely to be struck in silver. This piece is also hallmarked at lower right obverse. Ex-Paul Bosco, ca.1900 ($240). Unusual, with a stunningly beautiful design. SUPERB MINT STATE. $349/aee. SOLD
50. BELGIUM. Homage to the Royal Couple, 1914-15.
61x82mm bronze, by P. Theunis. Obverse: Draped, seated female under tree, arms raised toward small busts of the king and queen. Reverse: Branch; "The Hearts of Belgians Beat as One." Despite the predations of the Germans, Belgians kept up their medal-making throughout the war. EXTREMELY FINE. $110/se. SOLD
51. GREAT BRITAIN. England. Franco-British Exhibition, London 1908.
63mm silver, by Frank Bowcher. BHM3960, Eimer 1903a (275 Pounds–too low?). Obverse: draped female before ornate fair buildings. Reverse: Female personifications of the two nations, with a semi-nude female angel between them. The medal is so in keeping with the French style, one supposes Bowcher was aping the style with conscious intent. The medal is awarded; "PAGES" may actually refer to the young pages working for the Exhibition. In original green-leather, gold-stamped case. Edge marked ARGENT but seemingly struck in Birmingham (by Vaughton). Faint grazes, otherwise MINT STATE. $500/cee. SOLD
52. HUNGARY. The Hungarian Art Association, 1904.
60x61mm silver, by Lajos Beran. Wurzbach 8818. Bust of Agoston Trefort, education and religious affairs minister. Reverse: Male sculptor and female painter. The French influence is evident. The off-center portrait is a very modern touch, as is the unsentimental treatment of the artists on the reverse. For that matter, any depiction of an actual woman as an artist was bucking mainstream notions. This is the only piece this cataloger has seen. Ex-Paul Bosco, about 2002, $290. EXTREMELY FINE PLUS. $495/clk.
53. ITALY. Milan International Exposition and Sempione Tunnel, 1906.
51x74mm silver, by Egidio Boninsegna (engraved by Angelo Cappuccio). Obverse: (the tunnel side) Seated female greeted by Mercury and female personification of the city. Reverse: Five slender, flimsily draped females encircling the world. One of the more glorious pieces done for a world's fair, in a field crowded with artistic gems. Unfortunately, the outstanding work of Italian medalists does not get its due attention, due to the scarcity of examples in the marketplace, and the absence of big-name medalists (like Roty, Brenner, Scharff...). Minor spotting, otherwise NEARLY MINT STATE. $695/kse.
54. ITALY. Milan International Exposition and Sempione Tunnel, 1906.
Same event as last. 45mm bronze, by Enrico Saroldi. Forrer V, p.338. Obverse: Bare-chested worker with power drill; railroad emerging from the newly-completed tunnel. Reverse: five ½-length figures, female and male alternating, arranged in perspective, some holding miniatures of ship, railroad, etc. The sculptor Saroldi, not very well known for medals, had an association with Stefano Johnson, who this and other pieces in the ANS 1910 exhibition. This is a truly masterful medal in execution and design, with the obverse a brilliant new concept for a medal. NEARLY MINT STATE. $195/kse.
55. ITALY. International Exposition, Milan, 1906.
61mm bronze, by Giannino (for the medallic firm S. Johnson). Obverse: Labor and Science, about to kiss. Reverse: Tree, fairgrounds, legend. Ex-Paul Bosco, 1996-97, $100. Rich brown patina. NEARLY SUPERB MINT STATE. $200/bhk.
56. NETHERLANDS. Belgium. Hygeia, (1913).
70x64mm, by Lecroart. Obverse: Nude presenting a basket of grapes to a small child, seated on the tomb of Aesculapius. Reverse: The Goddess Hygeia, garlanded bust in statue form under a grape-draped arch. Issue of the Hollando-Belge Sociˇtˇ de la Mˇdaille d'Art. Cf. Elsen (Brussels), Sept. 10, 2011, hammered at 140 Euros. Deep brown patina. Some spotting, but still better than EXTREMELY FINE. $195/bhk. SOLD
57. GREAT BRITAIN. The Amateur Photographer and Cinematographer, a Magazine from Edinburgh, After 1926.
80x80mm, thick silver (unhallmarked). Unsigned. Published with this title 1927-45. Awarded to Arthur W. Dorˇe, who won an Eastman (-Kodak) Prize gold medal in 1948. Impressive! Cased. Totally unimportant hairlines on the mostly blank reverse, otherwise SUPERB MINT STATE. $325/lok.
58. UNITED STATES. Austria. Gutenberg Statue in New York, 1899.
70mm silver, by Anton Scharff. Baxter 272. Obverse: Bust right. Reverse: The statue, the first in the USA, by Ralph Goddard, erected by Robert Hoe. Anton Scharff, the dean of Austrian medalists, is perhaps the greatest portrait medalist after Pisanello. Robert Hoe, a printing press magnate, was the first Grolier Club president. The edge shows the hallmarks of the Christelbauer private mint in Austria. MINT STATE. $695/kse. SOLD
59. UNITED STATES. War and Peace, (1913).
48x70mm silver, by Emil Fuchs, for Cartier. Miller 44. Obverse: Two nude men struggling. Reverse: Nude girl on knees, hands outstretched, looking upward; at top, children ringing large bell. Softly modeled. Issued the year before the European war, this is one of the most expressionist medals produced in this country, and just as likely one of the best. Fuchs was a very interesting medalist, with feet in both the Britain and America. He garnered commissions from the Royal family and the Rothschilds. He produced this medal for Cartier (who gave the Metropolitan Museum a bronze specimen in 1920). He did the official medal of the Hudson-Fulton expo (1909). His medals are cataloged in an ANS article by Scott Miller. At an auction at a NYC coin show, late 1980s, Miller outbid John Marqusee, the Saint Gaudens collector, for a silver strike of this medal, at $400+. Numbered on edge (#3). Somewhat deeply toned, otherwise SUPERB MINT STATE. $1,100/slk.
For information on ordering or to send me your want-lists, contact me at pauljbosco@covad.net.