Stack's Bowers & Ponterio
January 2019 NYINC Auction 11-12 Jan 2019
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FRANCE. Near-Complete Set of Galerie Metallique des Grandes Hommes Francais Bronze Medals, ca. 1816-28. EXTREMELY FINE.
All approximately 41 mm, and struck in bronze. The Galerie Metallique des Grandes Hommes Francais was a large series of medals honoring prominent Frenchmen of history, designed by leading medalists of the day. Each medal features a portrait of the subject on the obverse with simple biographical information on the reverse. The medals in this lot were struck between 1816 and 1826, and all are plain-edged originals. The series is generally regarded to consist of 119 medals, and this lot contains 112 pieces from this series, plus 8 other French medals of the same style and period to fill in the 120 compartments of its elaborate display case. The case looks like a fine leather-bound book, but opens to reveal three removable trays, each with 40 round compartments which hold the medals tightly in place. The case is nearly complete, its gilded maroon leather in average condition, but with the front cover separated from the rest of the "book", and missing what appears to be a latching mechanism of some sort. Also the originality of three of the edges of the case are in question. There is a possibility that the top, bottom, and outside edges of the "book" were replaced at some point. This conclusion is arrived at because there are no receiving recesses in the outside edge to accommodate the original (now missing) latching device - and the finish of these 3 edges does not match the fourth. The repairs - if that is what they are - are finely done by a skilled artisan. The medals display little or no wear, retain their original chocolate or mahogany patinas, and are still lustrous to one degree or another. A couple pieces show some minor spotting, but overall this is a very nicely matched set, and unusually complete. Retail value over $3,000.
Estimate: $1500.00- $2500.00
All approximately 41 mm, and struck in bronze. The Galerie Metallique des Grandes Hommes Francais was a large series of medals honoring prominent Frenchmen of history, designed by leading medalists of the day. Each medal features a portrait of the subject on the obverse with simple biographical information on the reverse. The medals in this lot were struck between 1816 and 1826, and all are plain-edged originals. The series is generally regarded to consist of 119 medals, and this lot contains 112 pieces from this series, plus 8 other French medals of the same style and period to fill in the 120 compartments of its elaborate display case. The case looks like a fine leather-bound book, but opens to reveal three removable trays, each with 40 round compartments which hold the medals tightly in place. The case is nearly complete, its gilded maroon leather in average condition, but with the front cover separated from the rest of the "book", and missing what appears to be a latching mechanism of some sort. Also the originality of three of the edges of the case are in question. There is a possibility that the top, bottom, and outside edges of the "book" were replaced at some point. This conclusion is arrived at because there are no receiving recesses in the outside edge to accommodate the original (now missing) latching device - and the finish of these 3 edges does not match the fourth. The repairs - if that is what they are - are finely done by a skilled artisan. The medals display little or no wear, retain their original chocolate or mahogany patinas, and are still lustrous to one degree or another. A couple pieces show some minor spotting, but overall this is a very nicely matched set, and unusually complete. Retail value over $3,000.
Estimate: $1500.00- $2500.00