Germany, Baden, Friedrich I, Für Kunst und Wissenschaft, gold prize medal, by Christian Schnitzpahn, awarded to Dr. August Bassermann; obv., bearded bare head left, rev., für kunst und wissenschaft, recipient’s name neatly engraved within layrel wreath, 70.78g, 47.3mm (Wielandt & Zeitz 663, this piece listed), four neat pinholes in the edge of the medal apparently used for display-mounting, light handling marks and with a minor rim nick, good extremely fine. August Bassermann, the celebrated actor and theatre director, was born in Mannheim and trained initially as a lawyer in Heidelberg and Berlin in accordance with his parents’ wishes. His national service during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. 71 included participation in the Battle of Wörth and the Siege of Strasbourg. After demobilization he took stage lessons from Heinrich Oberländer and quickly received an engagement at the Dresden Court Theatre in 1873, moving to Vienna in 1876 where he was supported by Heinrich Laube and Maurice Strakosch. Following engagements in New York, Berlin and Stuttgart, Bassermann settled in Mannheim in 1886. He was appointed Director of the Hofbühne in 1895 before becoming Senior General Manager of the Grand Ducal Court Theatre in Karlsruhe (1904-19). He was married to the actress Jenny Engelhardt and was a Knight First Class of the Order of the Zähringen Lion. Ex Baden-Württembergische Bank auction 3, Stuttgart, 1979.

Estimate: GBP 4000 - 6000