FRANCE. Visit of the Emperor and Empress of Russia to Sevres Porcelain Medal, 1896. Grade: UNCIRCULATED.
Weight: 75.6 gms; diameter: 90mm. Obverse: Female double profiles: France as young woman at right in foreground wearing laurel wreath in band, her long hair loosely tied up in the back Russia appears as a woman in the left background with imperial crown and four circles of pearls around her neck. Below two hands are held together in peace. (This is identical to the obverse of Chaplain's 1893 medal on the Russian Fleet's visit to Toulon), RUSSIE. FRANCE around; Reverse: LL. MM. L'EMPEREUR ET L'IMPÉRATRICE DE RUSSIE VISITENT LA MANUFACTURE NATIONALE DE SÈVRES. 8 OCTOBRE 1896 in eight lines. Sold in original box (upper cardboard compartment mission, but otherwise complete) with stamped gilt heavy leather lid "Sèvres. 8 Octobre 1896". The legendary Manufacture National de Sèvres, formerly a private concern for the production of Vincennes porcelain from 1740 to the late 1750s, is so-called because it has been owned by the French crown or government since 1759, commanding the highest standards of quality and quickly outpacing the leading Meissen porcelain manufacture in artistic innovation-a position of leadership that Sèvres would retain throughout the 19th century. This medal appears to be extremely rare in good condition, and rarely preserved with the original presentation box. Though not signed by Chaplain, he was appointed Art Director of the Manufacture national de Sèvres that same year, in addition to executing his famous corresponding medal to mark the Emperor's and Empress's visit to the Paris Mint the previous day. The same obverse image on this porcelain medal is actually signed by Chaplain's in his identical obverse design commemorating the visit of the Russian fleet to Toulon in 1893. Extremely rare. (Examples in silver and bronze of the 1896 Russian imperial visit to the Paris Mint, and a bronze example of the 1893 Toulon medal are also present in Parks Collection). References: - Deneken, J. C. Chaplain-Ausstellung Medaillen, #65 - Monnaie de Paris, 1967, #69 - Maier, Französische Medaillenkunst, #76 - Sèvres piece in Musée d'Orsay 2012, #114
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From the Stephen R. Parks Collection of Medallic Arts.

Estimate: $150.00- $300.00