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The E-Sylum: Volume 7, Number 13, March 28, 2004, Article 10 WHO WAS DUVAL? Dick Johnson writes: "Thanks to Chris Eimer for the link to the Duval-Janvier octagonal medal in last week's E-Sylum. I have the smallest variety of this medal in my collection and always wondered who Duval was. In writing on Victor Janvier and his contribution to minting equipment technology I mention the Duval-Janvier firm without identifying Duval's contribution. I had surmised (never do this in writing, inevitably you are wrong!) that Duval was the money partner for Janvier's metalworking enterprise. After all, his name came first. Could he have been Janvier's backer? Two years ago, IBM sent one of their vice presidents for an extended stay to Paris. His wife, who is a member of my genealogical club, accompanied him. "Nancy," I said, "would you check out a name while you are in Paris?" She agreed and I gave her the details. This was not a burdensome chore, I thought. We frequently do this for each other in our club. In America this is a two-minute search in a business directory or a city directory. She searched THREE Paris libraries and came back empty handed! Duval is not mentioned with Janvier other than the 1892 period when their business commenced and the Duval-Janvier medal was issued. The firm's name was Janvier's alone in the early 20th century until he died in 1911. Later the firm was Berchot-Janvier, and still later Le Medaillier (at 64 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, Paris). Medallic Art Company, for whom I worked for a decade, was the American distributor for Janvier's machines. (We even sold Janvier machines to competitors, like the Franklin Mint, until they bought the Janvier firm!) There was not much in the Janvier file at Medallic Art. The Paris firm's sales literature never mentioned Duval. I believe he had little to do with the actual development of the world's foremost die-engraving pantograph. But I remained curious. Could one of our E-Sylum readers (particularly in France) learn who Duval was? I would still like to know his full name and what was his relationship with Victor Janvier? Ahh! Numismatic research never ends!" Wayne Homren, Editor The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org. To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@coinlibrary.com To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum | |
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