NEW BOOK: LE FRANC D'AUGUSTIN DUPRÉ

The book is written by Philippe Théret and Xavier Bourbon with the support of the association Les Amis du Franc (ADF).

The 1,104-page book is written in French with around 5,500 photos.

Decimal coins

• a very large part of the book is dedicated to the decimal coins designed by Dupré.
• Thanks to the archives, we can immerse ourselves in the daily life at the mint during Dupré's tenure as the Chief coin engraver, but also of the other regional French mints.
• Also featured is a precise inventory of the different coin types and varieties as well as illustrations of each of the finest known specimens.
• The essays, fakes and grading standards are also studied in depth.

Dupré's Biography

• We carried out research in the notarial archives about Dupré's life.
• We found the will and the liquidation of the Dupré estate in the notarial archives of Paris that had never been published before.
• The two main biographies of Dupré were written by Charles Blanc and Charles Saunier. The first was published in 1870 and the second, which draws heavily from the first, dates from 1894.
• The philosopher knows Dupré. He lives in Passy and Dupré owns a small house nearby, in Auteuil, rue Boileau. Both were early risers. Dupré went to Paris every morning, via the Cours-la.Reine, smoking his pipe. Through an unknown occasion they made bonds and a friendship grew between the engraver and the philosopher [Saunier, 1894].
• We managed to find the deed of purchase for the house in Auteuil on rue Boileau
• but the acquisition date of 02/22/1797 was well after Franklin's return to the United States and even after his death…

Catalogue raisonné

• The book include a catalogue raisonné of the Dupré's medals
• It is above all the opportunity to have a global view of Dupré's works and the preparatory stages : drawings, waxes, plasters and splashers

Dupré's medals for USA

• Augustin Dupré is famous in the United States of America for several historical medals made for the new republic: Libertas Americana (1783), Benjamin Franklin (1784), Nathaniel Greene (1785), John Paul Jones (1789), Daniel Morgan (1789) and the Diplomatic Medal (1790-1792).

Franklin's medal

 

• unpublished reverse project that had advanced beyond the drawing stage. There is a plaster of it that appears to be a cast of a die
• The drawing and the plaster cast have a more simple (than the Genius reverse) but perfectly symbolic reverse showing a wreath, a storm and a thunderbolt as well as the attributes of tyranny, a crown and a broken scepter

 

 

Libertas Americana

• drawings derived from the Libertas Americana for a medal project in 1792

We hope that Americans interested in Dupré will enjoy browsing this 1,104- page book, written in French but very richly illustrated with around 5,500 photos.

 

 

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