NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: AUGUST 2019

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V22 2019 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 22, Number 36, September 8, 2019, Article 20

Jeremy Bostwick also continues to run his Numismagram business, and he passed along these intricate medals from his most recent upload of new material to his website. This grouping is entirely comprised of architectural medals, many of which are by the famous and avidly-collected Wiener brothers. In addition to these numerous cathedral types, there are pieces which feature a prison, a bourse, a restaurant, a museum, a palace, and exhibition halls. All of these medals offer tremendously detailed engraving and are a real feat of numismatic artistry. See numismagram.com/inventory for all of the new items. -Editor

100617 | RUSSIA. Tretyakov Gallery bronze Medal. Issued 1956. Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the gallery's establishment (75mm, 219.09 g, 12h). By Margachev & Kozlov at the Leningrad Mint. Conjoined busts left of Tretyakov, Stasov, Kramskoy, Repin, and Surikov; П. М. ТРЕТЬЯКОВ, В. В. СТАСОВ, / И. Н. КРАМСКОЙ, И. Е. РЕПИН, / В.И. СУРИКОВ in three lines below; all within wreath / ИСКУССТВО ПРИНАДЛЕЖИТ НАРОДУ / ΛЕНИН /, façade of the gallery; СТО ΛЕТ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЙ / ТРЕТЬЯКОВСКОЙ ГАΛΛЕРЕИ / 1856–1956 in three lines in exergue. Edge: Plain. Shkurko & Salikov 118. Gem Mint State. Pleasing light brown surfaces, with a good deal of underlying luster. Attractive Soviet architectural type. $225.

The State Tretyakov Gallery was conceived in 1856 when Pavel Mikhaylovich Tretyakov began collecting contemporary works of art around which he could eventually build a museum. In 1892, he presented his collection of over 2,000 pieces to the Russian Empire, with the façade of the museum eventually being designed by Viktor Mikhaylovich Vasnetsov in what can only be described as a Russian "fairy-tale" style. Now, the museum is home to over 130,000 pieces of art.

100682 | GREAT BRITAIN. Holborn Restaurant bronzed pewter Medal. Issued circa 1894 (engraved 1898). Issued and presented to Vincent Sidney Allpress on 7 July 1898 (68mm, 200.87 g, 12h). HOLBORN / RESTAURANT ESTd 1874, interior view of the restaurant with guests standing between columns; decorative plants and sculptures around / Elaborate interior view of the restaurant with guests dancing; decorative plants and friezes around; on ribbon below, PRESENTED BY THE PROPRIETORS "To Vincent Sidney Allpress July 7th 1898." Edge: «hallmark». Taylor 207a; BHM 2990; Eimer 1640. Mint State. Dark chocolate brown surfaces. $195.

Established in 1874, the Holborn Restaurant, billed as adding a “spice of poetry to the dull prose of every day life,” was located near the corner of Little Queen Street and, rather appropriately, Holborn. Gradual expansions led to more additions to the restaurant, which were fully connected in 1894. Of note, the British Chess Federation was founded there in 1904, and, in 1908, during the London Olympic games, numerous banquets for the participating athletes were held there. In 1955, the entire group of buildings was demolished.

During the late 1890’s, medals were engraved and presented to various patrons for their business. Such is the case with the above medal, which was presented to Vincent Sidney Allpress on 8 July 1898. Allpress, as of January 1893, was a member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers, and resided at 55 Victoria St, a little over a mile and a half from the location of the Holborn Restaurant.

While the structure was demolished long before I had a chance to see it, I'm glad this medal is here to record its existence. -Editor

100750 | SWEDEN. Göteborg aluminum Medal. Issued 1891. Commemorating the Industrial Exposition in Gothenburg (52mm, 50.53, 12h). By G. Ekvall. TILL MINNE AF UTSTÄLLNINGARNE I GÖTEBORG, façade of the exhibition hall / KUNSKAP OCH ARBETE, personification of Sweden standing slightly left, resting hand upon shield and holding wreath; around, pile of implements representing industry, commerce, and the arts. Edge: Plain. Includes original roundelle. Choice Gem Mint State. Exceedingly lustrous and prooflike, with a wondrous cameo nature. Rare, especially this attractive and with roundelle. $265.

The Industrial Exposition held in Gothenburg (Göteborgsutställningen) opened on 1 July 1891, lasting until 15 September and featuring over 1,100 exhibitors in the fields of industry and various crafts. The main exposition building, featured on this medal, measured 138 feet in width and 328 feet in length, and took up, along with a few other smaller structures, roughly 50,000 square feet.

The reverse design is a little busy, as is common with these industrial expo medals. Nicely executed. -Editor

100728 | GREAT BRITAIN. Westminster Abbey in London bronze Medal. Issued 1856. Ecclesiastical Architectural series: The Church in London (59mm, 94.15 g, 12h). By J. Wiener & Elkington and Co. WESTMINSTER ABBEY, perspective view of the cathedral; in three lines in exergue, ST. PETER'S CHURCH FOUNDED ABOUT 612 / REBUILT AND ERECTED AN ABBEY / 958 AND 1049-1066 / THE PRESENT CHURCH CONSTRUCTED 1220-1285 RESTORED END OF THE XVII CENTURY / WESTMINSTER HALL BUILT 1397 THE CHAPEL OF HENRY VII COMMENCED 1503 RESTORED 1809, ornate perspective interior view of the Chapel of Henry VII; in three lines in exergue, St PETER'S CHURCH FOUNDED ABOUT 612 REBUILT AND ERECTED AN ABBEY 958 AND 1049-1066. Edge: A few light stress marks, otherwise plain. Van Hoydonck 142; Reinecke 35; Taylor 8b; BHM 2592; Eimer 1506. Gem Mint State. Exceedingly lustrous, with rich red-brown surfaces; an incredible piece. A light green spec near the tower on the right is noted merely for completeness. Compare to a similar example, though far less lustrous, in Stack's Coin Galleries 18 August 2009 auction, lot 6104 (which realized a hammer of $425 [plus buyer's fee]). $495.

From what is today eastern Netherlands and western Germany, the Wieners were a Jewish family of exceptional medalists, especially known for numerous numismatic works throughout the Kingdom of Belgium. Eldest brother Jacob, along with younger brothers Leopold and Charles, created some of the finest works of medallic art of the 19th century, and all are particularly noted for their work in the highly detailed and intricate work of architectural renderings.

In 1845, Jacob, along with brother Leopold, set out to issue a series of 10 medals focusing upon both the exteriors and interiors of famous Belgian churches. These medals—all measuring 50mm in diameter—featured a level of artistry and precision that had not yet been seen, and were a game changer in the degree of difficulty attempted in engraving. Once this series was completed, Jacob, this time partly in conjunction with brother Charles, focused upon a new task—a much larger series (50 in total) in a larger module than before (59mm) of the most iconic edifices in Europe, mostly comprising of places of worship. While attempting to see this goal to completion, other architectural pieces were issued, such as one celebrating, of all things, the prisons of Belgium, complete with ground plans of the structures on the reverses of the respective medals. Sadly, the amount of intricate work through which Jacob pushed himself was no help to his eyesight, which began to fail, ultimately leaving the aforementioned series of 50 medals for the iconic edifices of Europe to be left at 41, nine shy of the goal. Nevertheless, the effect which these various architectural Wiener medals had upon the community was monumental, showing the bounds which could be explored by other talented artists.

Fascinating story of an incredibly ambitious goal. -Editor

100775 | BELGIUM. Cathédrale Saint-Aubain de Namur bronze Medal. Issued 1846. Ecclesiastical Architectural series: The Cathedral in Namur (50mm, 51.76 g, 12h). By J. Wiener. ÉGLISE CATHÉDRALE DE St AUBAIN A NAMUR, perspective view of the cathedral; in three lines in exergue, RECONSTRUITE 1750 ACHEVÉE 1767 / RENFERME LE MAUSOLÉE DE / DON JUAN D'AUTRICHE / INTÉRIEUR DE LÉGLISE / St AUBAIN, interior view of the nave and choir. Edge: Plain. Van Hoydonck 22; Reinecke 13. Gem Mint State. Rich chocolate brown surfaces, with a rather intense luster. Compare to a similar, yet inferior, example in Stack's Coin Galleries 18 August 2009 auction, lot 6017 (which realized a hammer of $285 [plus buyer's fee]). $295.