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The E-Sylum: Volume 25, Number 22, May 29, 2022, Article 29

LADY AND SIR MOSES MONTEFIORE MEDAL

I came across this medal this week, initially for the Numismatic Nuggets article. Looking for more information I found this page from The Edythe Griffinger Portal at the Leo Baeck Institute. It's a Charles Weiner medal from 1864. -Editor

  Lady and Sir Moses Montefiore Medal obverse Lady and Sir Moses Montefiore Medal reverse

Medal in honor of Sir Moses Montefiore and his wife, Lady Judith.

Recto: Profile portraits of Sir and (half covered) Lady Montefiore, surrounded by text: Judith Lady Montefiore. Sir Moses Montefiore BART. F.R.S. Signed Ch. Wiener 1864.

Verso: A wreath of shamrock, rose, thistle, palm, oak, and laurel entwining five Hebrew labels naming Jerusalem, Damascus, Russia, Morocco, and Romania, being places of Sir Montefiore's activities. The wreath surrounds part of verse Exodus, 2:11 in Hebrew: "Moses went out to his kinsfolk and witnessed their labors."

Sir Moses Haim Montefiore (1784 – 1885) was a British financier, banker, and philanthropist, born into a Sephardic Jewish family in Livorno, Italy. Montefiore was highly active in supporting Jewish communities in Eastern Europe, North Africa and throughout the Ottoman Empire. He died in Ramsgate, England in 1885.

His wife, Lady Judith, Montefiore, née Barent Cohen (1784 – 1862) was an English linguist, musician, travel writer, and philanthropist. She authored the first Jewish cookbook written in English.

Charles Wiener was the youngest of the three Wiener brothers, who were all medalists active in Belgium. Born in Venloo, Charles studied drawing at the Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels while simulataneously training under his brothers. He then studied under Eugène-André Oudiné in Paris. In 1856 he settled at the Hague, working as an engraver to the king of Holland. After six years, he worked in various cities for short periods of time: from London, where he was deputy engraver at the Royal Mint; and then to Lisbon in 1864 as chief engraver to the Mint of Portugal. Charles returned to Brussels in 1867 and produced medals, some in conjunction with his brother, Jacques. He won a number of awards and decorations for his work in Belgium, London, the Netherlands, Russia, and Sweden.

To read the complete article, see:
Lady and Sir Moses Montefiore Medal (https://www.lbi.org/griffinger/record/397970)

What initially caught my eye when I saw one of these in an auction listing was what looked to me like a deep counterstamp on the obverse portrait. Curious, I took a closer look. Turns out, it was just the subject's ear. But it illustrates the deep relief on the piece.

I like these photos better. Does anyone have one of these in their collection? -Editor

  Lady and Sir Moses Montefiore Medal obverse Lady and Sir Moses Montefiore Medal reverse

To read the complete lot description, see:
LADY AND SIR MOSES MONTEFIORE BRONZE MEDAL 1864 ISRAEL (https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/LADY-AND-SIR-MOSES-MONTEFIORE-BRONZE-MEDAL-1864-I-5-c-91641CAAD1)

  MDC Monaco E-Sylum ad 2022-04-17 Auction 3-4
 



Wayne Homren, Editor

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