Stack's Bowers & Ponterio
January 2014 NYINC Auction - Sess. C-D 13 January 2014
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FRANCE. Medal Given as an Invitation "Card" to the Opening of Lalique's New Gallery, 1905.
61.5mm across; maximum measurement 67-68mm bronze. By Rene Lalique. Uniface. A female head in extremely high relief is at the top (and over the edge) of the medal. Below, inscription beginning "Invitation".
Lalique the jeweler shows the advantage he had over other medalists, which consisted of not knowing the rules of medal-making, or a willingness to ignore them. The relief of this piece is more consistent with jewelry than numismatic art. At the same time, the size of the piece, the amount of undecorated surface and the need to hold (vs. wear) the object all speak to the advantages of the medallic form.
This was the only medal included in the Cooper-Hewitt (Smithsonian) exhibition of 1998 (New York City).
PCAC (Joe Levine) auctioned a bronze example in 2001 for $1825; in 2005 the New Jersey art auctioneers Rago realized $3000 for a bronze. SUPERB MINT STATE.
61.5mm across; maximum measurement 67-68mm bronze. By Rene Lalique. Uniface. A female head in extremely high relief is at the top (and over the edge) of the medal. Below, inscription beginning "Invitation".
Lalique the jeweler shows the advantage he had over other medalists, which consisted of not knowing the rules of medal-making, or a willingness to ignore them. The relief of this piece is more consistent with jewelry than numismatic art. At the same time, the size of the piece, the amount of undecorated surface and the need to hold (vs. wear) the object all speak to the advantages of the medallic form.
This was the only medal included in the Cooper-Hewitt (Smithsonian) exhibition of 1998 (New York City).
PCAC (Joe Levine) auctioned a bronze example in 2001 for $1825; in 2005 the New Jersey art auctioneers Rago realized $3000 for a bronze. SUPERB MINT STATE.