Baldwin's of St. James's
Auction 58 27 Apr 2021
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World Medals, France, the Siege of Paris, Balloon and Pigeon Postage, bronze medal, 1870-1871, by C. J. M. Degeorge, Lutetia seated on cannon, releasing a pigeon, balloon in the sky beyond, rev. pigeon flies from basket on which a blank tablet, COMMUNICATIONS AÉRIENNES, 62.5mm. (Mal 94); FS Chevalier Jean Bart, bronze medal, c. 1940, by Georges Guiraud, bust of Bart r, in high relief, his ship beyond, rev. the battleship, 67.5mm.; Paquebot René Laennec, 1952, bronze, by Fraisses, 54mm., first very fine, others extremely fine and Bart with dark patina (3)
*ex Mrs Irene "Neddy" Allen stock
During the Siege of Paris by the Germans in 1870-1871, messages were carried to and from the city by a combination of balloons and homing pigeons. Advances in the field of microphotography meant that each bird could carry thousands of messages at a time. One of the pigeons to survive the war is preserved in France's Museé de la Poste. The FS Chevalier Jean Bart, was in construction at the start of World War II and launched on 6 March 1940. In June the unfinished and un-armed ship sailed for Casablanca. She did not see service till after the end of the war
*ex Mrs Irene "Neddy" Allen stock
During the Siege of Paris by the Germans in 1870-1871, messages were carried to and from the city by a combination of balloons and homing pigeons. Advances in the field of microphotography meant that each bird could carry thousands of messages at a time. One of the pigeons to survive the war is preserved in France's Museé de la Poste. The FS Chevalier Jean Bart, was in construction at the start of World War II and launched on 6 March 1940. In June the unfinished and un-armed ship sailed for Casablanca. She did not see service till after the end of the war