St. James's Auctions
Auction 46 22 Jul 2021
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World Medals, USA, Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), "The First American", uniface terracotta portrait medal by Jean-Baptiste Nini, 1777, bust l., wearing fur cap, signed NINI F 1777 and with armorial shield depicting lightning, the date repeated below, named in legend, *B. FRANKLIN* - *AMERICAIN*, 113.5mm. (Betts 548; A. C. Baiardi & B. Sibille, Giovan Battista Nini, 94, etc.; Greenslet, The Medals of Franklin (1993), 6M-5, R7; Sellers, Benjamin Franklin in Portraiture (1962), 344, 1 (ill. pl. 10); J. J. Ford XIV [2006], 327-328), suspension hole on the top rim very fine, minor chips to obverse though more serious on the blank reverse
Giovanni Battista Nini was born in Urbino, Italy and worked as copperplate and glass engraver before becoming director of a crystal ware factory in Madrid. In 1760 he moved to Chaumont-sur-Loire, France, working for a local ceramic factory becoming its director in 1778.
Franklin had been appointed as the American envoy to France in September 1776, where he was to stay until 1785. This medal was made by Nini when Franklin was a guest of Nini's patron, Jacques-Donatien Le Ray du Chaumont (1726-1803) – a French "Father of the American Revolution" and also portrayed on a terracotta medal by Nini (B & S 104). Franklin sent five or six cases packed with medals to America but they were lost in a shipwreck off the French coast at Noirmoutier. At least four cases were recovered and subsequently stored at a customs' warehouse in Nantes and forgotten. Rediscovered in 1830, they were sold on to agents of the navy and again forgotten until two cases were bought in 1876 by a French collector, Mr Myrvoix, from whom Spink & Son acquired a number of examples which were offered in the Numismatic Circular at 25/- each.
(300-400 GBP)
Giovanni Battista Nini was born in Urbino, Italy and worked as copperplate and glass engraver before becoming director of a crystal ware factory in Madrid. In 1760 he moved to Chaumont-sur-Loire, France, working for a local ceramic factory becoming its director in 1778.
Franklin had been appointed as the American envoy to France in September 1776, where he was to stay until 1785. This medal was made by Nini when Franklin was a guest of Nini's patron, Jacques-Donatien Le Ray du Chaumont (1726-1803) – a French "Father of the American Revolution" and also portrayed on a terracotta medal by Nini (B & S 104). Franklin sent five or six cases packed with medals to America but they were lost in a shipwreck off the French coast at Noirmoutier. At least four cases were recovered and subsequently stored at a customs' warehouse in Nantes and forgotten. Rediscovered in 1830, they were sold on to agents of the navy and again forgotten until two cases were bought in 1876 by a French collector, Mr Myrvoix, from whom Spink & Son acquired a number of examples which were offered in the Numismatic Circular at 25/- each.
(300-400 GBP)