(Ca. 1778) Benjamin Franklin portrait medallion by Wedgwood and Bentley. Black basalt. 81 x 100 mm. Reilly and Savage type f.

Portrait of Franklin to left wearing beaver hat, after Nini, with Nini's distinctive armorial signature NINI / 1777, clearly molded directly from one of Nina's terracotta portraits. FRANKLIN is impressed below. Back impressed WEDGWOOD / & BENTLEY with small mark at center, no firing holes, indent molded at top with two small holes molded into top edge for suspension. Minor flake seen at back rim near 5 o'clock, trivial edge flake below 9 o'clock on back, obverse perfect. An exceptional portrait of Franklin in striking black basalt. Nini's bust is superbly rendered on this type, all set within a raised rim that serves to frame the portrait. This specimen was displayed at the October 28, 1939, meeting of the Wedgwood Club of Boston and illustrated on p. 21 of the 1940 issue of Old Wedgwood, no. 7.

From the Richard Margolis Collection. Earlier from Skinner's sale of the Charles P. Gorely, Jr. Collection, May 1997, lot 289.

Estimate: $3000