Attributed to Guillaume Dupré (c. 1579-1640), Armand-Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642), large uniface lead medal, unsigned and undated, ARMANDVS IOANNES CARDINALIS DE RICHELIEV, bust of Richelieu right wearing biretta and Cardinal’s robes, 192mm (Trésor de Numismatique et de Glyptique, Médailles Françaises (1834-36), pl. 13, 2; cf. Jones footnote to 63), pierced at the four cardinal points, faint crack below Cardinal’s collar, contemporary cast, very fine and extremely rare, possibly only the second known example (reverse with incuse image) Provenance: John R. Gaines collection.The only record of another specimen of this extremely large and unsigned uniface medal is found in the Trésor de Numismatique published in 1836, where it is listed under Dupré. Jones in describing a small medal of Richelieu by Dupré comments on this much larger medal: “… which is presumably also by Dupré, but which is not listed by Mazerolle”. The diamond-shaped stops are characteristic of Dupré’s oeuvre, and are not to be found, for instance, on medals by Jean Warin (who is better known for making medals of Richelieu, see lots 66-68).

Estimate: GBP 1500 - 2000