THE DUTCH REPUBLIC. Uncertain city. Circa 1660s. Marriage Medal (Silver, 46 mm, 23.78 g, 12 h). On the left, young man in formal dress standing right with a tree behind him, clasping with his right hand the right hand of a young woman, in formal dress on the right, standing to left with a tree behind her; between them, in the lower field, houses; in the upper field, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, within rays, with two winged putti flying above, blowing horns; sitting below the tree behind the woman, a naked boy sits to left, apparently smoking a flaming pipe (?). Rev. Godt door syn Wetheest in Gelet het Soeteparen op Canans feest is hij Geweest int Eechts Vergaaren = ( God by his law has started off the sweet couple, at Canan's feast he has been among the first guests ) Scene of the marriage at Cana, where Christ turned water to wine. At the left of the table, Christ sits facing with, on his left, the Virgin Mary, veiled, and a young couple; on the right of the table, sits an elderly couple, one wearing a pointed hat and the other a crown-like one, similar to those Jews were forced to wear in medieval times; before them a servant boy stands left, pouring wine into a serving pitcher. Very rare. An endearingly attractive marriage medal, engraved in a slightly naive, but appealing, provincial style. Lightly toned and curiously pleasing. About extremely fine.

The style of this piece makes it unintentionally humorous, albeit in a good way! The naked little fellow on the obverse, who is apparently smoking a pipe is quite dignified, while the participants at Cana, on the reverse, all have a vaguely glassy-eyed look, as if the water Christ turned to wine came out as vintage Port!