Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Auction 121 6-8 Oct 2022
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FRANCE. 1812 letter to Napoléon I regarding a collection of gold medals for Marie-Louise. With the emperor's signature. Written in black and red ink on two sides of a folded 19.7x37cm sheet. Folded.
From the DMS Collection, purchased from Ira & Larry Goldberg.
A note from the collector: Years ago, I bought a Napoléon initialed document, a budget request to French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte in April of 1812. The request concerned a series of 108 medals struck in gold, issued in honor of his exploits, to be given by Napoléon to his second wife, Marie-Louise, at a cost of 26, 326 Francs, an amazing sum in those days. Napoléon used medals as propaganda to promote his successes, and a real personality cult developed with devoted collectors of all things Napoléon.
Over the years, I have bought some of the medals in bronze – not gold– and together they make a nice display. These medals were issued under the authority of M. Denon, director of the French mint in Paris, and later the first director of the Louvre Museum, who had first come to Napoléon's attention during the Egyptian expedition.
From the DMS Collection, purchased from Ira & Larry Goldberg.
A note from the collector: Years ago, I bought a Napoléon initialed document, a budget request to French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte in April of 1812. The request concerned a series of 108 medals struck in gold, issued in honor of his exploits, to be given by Napoléon to his second wife, Marie-Louise, at a cost of 26, 326 Francs, an amazing sum in those days. Napoléon used medals as propaganda to promote his successes, and a real personality cult developed with devoted collectors of all things Napoléon.
Over the years, I have bought some of the medals in bronze – not gold– and together they make a nice display. These medals were issued under the authority of M. Denon, director of the French mint in Paris, and later the first director of the Louvre Museum, who had first come to Napoléon's attention during the Egyptian expedition.