The New York Sale
Auction 33 9 January 2014
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RUSSIAN MEDALS. Medals of Alexander I. Medal. Silver. 37 mm. 12.82 gm. By Loos. On the Death of Johanna Catherina née Schubert, 'Countess of Ross', 1814. Dirks 34 (RRR). Classical style bust of Schubert left being struck by lightning (which took Mevrouw Schubert's life), signed LOOS on truncation, below are the Ross and Schubert Arms flanking a pelican feeding its young with its own blood – a symbol of eternity – before a radiant cross, German legend around, Latin below / Seven-line legend within spray, two stars above, one with 'A' for Emperor Alexander I, the other with 'FW' for Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, below are six banners bearing the words in German: 'Trust, Religion, Perseverance, Courage, Sacrifice' and 'Concord'. The banners flank a facing Dutch lion holding a sword and arrows-bundle, behind is The All-Seeing Eye on a pyramid with balance scales below, and a zodiac arc, flanking the pyramid are a Russian and a Prussian eagle, three-line legend in ex. Very rare. Pale violet grey over minor contact marks and ample lustre. Extremely fine
The heroic and greatly respected Johanna Catherina Schubert was born in Nijmegen in 1763. Her tombstone erroneously gave her birth as 1772 (which was repeated on this medal) and also called her the 'Countess of Ross', a title she never used in her lifetime. In 1787, she married John Matthias Ross, director of the Holland Society of Sciences. The couple had one son, but Ross died a year later. The widow Schubert who remarried then divorced, moved to Warsaw with her son where she was known as Mrs. Ross. During the Napoleonic War, she gave shelter to the Dutch soldiers in Napoleon's army, and in 1813, bravely went to the Russian headquarters to affect the release of all the Dutch prisoners of war. Alexander I admired Ross and apparently befriended her.
Estimate: US$ 1,000
The heroic and greatly respected Johanna Catherina Schubert was born in Nijmegen in 1763. Her tombstone erroneously gave her birth as 1772 (which was repeated on this medal) and also called her the 'Countess of Ross', a title she never used in her lifetime. In 1787, she married John Matthias Ross, director of the Holland Society of Sciences. The couple had one son, but Ross died a year later. The widow Schubert who remarried then divorced, moved to Warsaw with her son where she was known as Mrs. Ross. During the Napoleonic War, she gave shelter to the Dutch soldiers in Napoleon's army, and in 1813, bravely went to the Russian headquarters to affect the release of all the Dutch prisoners of war. Alexander I admired Ross and apparently befriended her.
Estimate: US$ 1,000