Watch List notes:

GREAT BRITAIN. Complete Set of James Mudie's National Medals in Bronze (40 Pieces), 1794-1817. George III. Grade Range: UNCIRCULATED to CHOICE UNCIRCULATED.
Lawrence Brown and Christopher Eimer place medals in the following order: 1817 George II Dedication; 1602 British Settlement at Bombay and Victory over the French; 1794 Naval Victory of the First of June; 1797 Battle of Cape St. Vincent; 1797 Battle of Camperdown; 1805 Horation Nelson Memorial; 1799 Defense of Acre; 1801 Arrival British Army in Egypt; 1801 Egypt Delivered; 1815 Victory Honors to Scottish Regiments; 1813 Colors Presented to Royal Military College; British Army Arrives in the Peninsula; 1808 Battle of Vimera-Entry in Lisbon; 1809 Death of Sir John Moore; 1809 Passage of the Duorol; 1809 Battle of Talavera; 1810 British Army of the Tagus; 1811 Battle of Albuera; 1812 Capture of Badajoz; 1812 Battle of Almarez; 1812 Battle of Salamanca-Entry of Madrid; 1812 Battle of Vittoria; 1813 Battle of Pyreness; 1813 Battle of San Sebastian; 1813 Surrender of Pamplona; 84 Battle of Toulouse; 1814 Peace in Europe; 1814 Britain Gives Peace to the World; Treaties of Paris, 1814-1815; 1814 Visit of Allied Sovereigns to England; 1814 British Army Reenters Hanover; 1815 British Army in the Netherlands; 1815 British Charge at Waterloo; 1815 Battle of Waterloo; 1815 British Army Enters Paris; 1815 Napoleon Surrenders to Captain Maitland of HMS Bellerophon; 1814 Napoleon on Saint Helena; 1816 Admirable Lord Exmouth; 1817 British Give Constitution to the Ionian Islands.

James Mudie published what he styled The Grand Series of National Medals, though they were a product of private initiative. The medals were struck for him by Sir Edward Thomason at his famed Birmingham manufactory. It is ironic that he employed several accomplished French medalists who had just completed numerous medals of Napoleon and now engraved dies for English celebration of his defeat and exile. Mudie's Prospectus went to great lengths to explain his reliance on so many foreign artists, stressing that English medallic artists, however talented, "have not yet reached the delicacy, precision and finish of French and Italian Medalists." Brown in British Historical Medals notes that Mudie invested more than 10,000 Pounds in creating his series, a stupendous amount for the time, adding "generally speaking, a complete set in bronze may be described as rare..." This delightful set is uniformly high quality, united by exquisite medium glossy brown surfaces and the most meticulous strikes throughout, making it an acquisition difficult to match and more difficult to improve. Housed in what appears to be the original book case of issue for this set with two fitted trays each containing 20 medals. The case has suffered some deterioration due to its age; two sides have come loose, but are present. Lot also includes an original copy of "Mudie's National Medals".

From the Q. David Bowers Collection.

Estimate: $3000 - $5000