An update is scheduled for January 2008 but here are some great medals in the meantime
| Sacred or pagan, decorative or clearly minimalist, these powerful images demonstrate some of the best examples of the Art Deco style in medallic art. |
The term Art Deco is applied here to medals of the 1920's through to the late 1940's and all are French unless stated otherwise.
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Where the title is underlined click for a larger image - these photos are not to size.
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| J A Briquemont Mere et Enfant, sparse, minimalist design which sums up one inter-war style, 1934; struck bronze medal, uniface, 50.5mm. VF some sooty spots as photo CGMP £95 |  |
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Jean Vernon, Pol Neveu 1938, Pol Neveu was a librarian, the inspector of Libraries. The reverse is an adage in Latin, sometimes found on the walls of ancient libraries about the wealth of knowledge contained there, so much so that the loquacious are silent...79mm bronze, numbered 29, (SFAM) Maker's mark cross SF portrait EF, nEF on reverse impaired patina left £85 |
| PM Dammann and M Delannoy; Jean Racine, 300th anniversary of the birth of 17th century French poet and playwright of tragedies, a contemporary of Corneille and Moliere; reverse three roses and a root, 1939 "Clam Flores Alit" - a pun on his name and the growing respect for his work over the centuries - racine - blossoms begun in secret 80mm EF £150 |  |
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Andre Lavrillier, Leda and the Swan. 1929 A much loved Art Deco medal, condition on this example near extremely fine - some rubbing as usual on highest points but attractive chestnut patina. Metal D on edge so made during World War II when alternative metal alloys were used instead of normal bronze . Large uniface plaquette, 60mm wide x 100 high £370. | |
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Pierre Turin, Principaute de Monaco 1943 bird's eye view of Monaco perched on the cliffs; reverse map and princely arms of the Grimaldi, struck bronze 68mm, nEF £45 |
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Lay, Honore Daumier 1808-1876, Lithographer, painter, sculptor - reverse the artist's impression of Daumier as the master of the ratbage of human comedy. Cast bronze SFAM II numbered issue, 98mm. c.1952 EF sold |
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P M Dammann; Pierre de Nolhac, de l'Academie Francaise 1859-1936 high relief portrait of the historian, museum curator, poet and humanist; elected to the Academie in 1922. He wrote about Renaissance France and Italy, and in particular about Versailles where he was chief curator. Quotation on the reverse refers to his last work, Le Rameau d'or (the Golden Bough). 80mm. struck bronze, EF £90 |
| Next page - exhibitions 1930's | Art Nouveau - earlier medals | Science & Medecine medals |
| Personnages - Famous people on Soviet medals | Philosophers |