French Bronze Plaques - anyone else into these?

I picked up a few of these at auction because I thought they were beautiful. Not sure if they stretch "exonumia" too far, but does anyone else have any to share?


I thought the last one was particularly apposite in these difficult times: "When everything changes for you, Nature remains the same. The same sun rises on your days."

 

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I have this one, which was given to participants at the 1900 World's Fair in Paris and also as a participation medal for the 1900 Summer Olympics. I bought it as part of an Olympic memorabilia collection. I think it qualifies as exonumia.

 

Since CT has no forum for medals, you can pretty much post them wherever you like. I use "Coin Chat" and I've had no complaints.

Paddy, I can't read the designer's last name on the medal or the names on either of the plaquettes. Help me out, please. Also, you might find a mintmark stamped into the edge alongside the composition, probably BRONZE for these. The second plaquette appears to be encased, so you won't be able to see the edge.

 

The medal is from the Exposition Universelle Internationale, Paris 1900. Designer is Daniel-Dupuis. The black marks are from an old inked inscription. Nothing on the edge.
First plaque is by M A L Coudray and does have "bronze" on the edge. (Not encased.)
Second plaque is by G Dupre and has nothing on the edge - encased.

 

This is one of my favorite medals by Jules Clement Chaplain. I like it so much that I have three of them!

It is listed in Victor Gadoury's book, Olympic Medals and Coins, 510 B.C. - 1994, as one of the official medals of the Exhibition and Olympics. I only wish that I could afford the same medal in silver.

 

It is interesting to note that Daniel Dupuis was murdered by his wife in November, 1899 while he was asleep in his bed. She shot him in the head, and then committed suicide. Apparently, the medal was produced sometime in 1898 in anticipation of the Universal Exhibition.

 

This is a Carlsberg Brewery plaquette produced in France for distribution in Denmark. The swastikas were a good luck symbol used by Carlsberg until the nutzies took over Germany in 1933. The image on the front is of Dania, representing Denmark. The ladies on the reverse represent the brewery of course.

This plaquette was produced by J.C. Chaplain in 1895.

 

I'm a big fan of the medal/plaque collecting. By theme, motif, nationality, era...it's very wide ranging. It's a liberating way to collect. And a bit free form on where to post. There's a long running exonumia thread on the chat side. But I do tend to post on the world side as well.

One of my favorites, a Chaplain as well:

 

Below is my most recent, a 1900 Paris Exposition bronze medal by Chaplain, PCGS MS64. The exposition was huge, and hundreds of bronze, silver and gold medals were awarded with the recipient’s name on the reverse. The silver and gold medals were bronze medals with thin plating on them. As best I can determine, “E. JOLIBOIS” inscribed on the reverse was a publisher/printer. There is probably a log somewhere that lists all the winners … would love to have a digital copy.

Does anyone know how so many medals with different inscriptions were produced? Perhaps there was a removable, rectangular letter die that fit within the main die for the reverse?

Compare the obverse of this medal with the obverse of my 1899 10 franc gold coin, also designed by Chaplain. The heads are not identical but very, very close.

Cal

 

The only thing I have to offer. Yes, I like them all.


FRANCE. Art Nouveau bronze Medal. Issued circa 1901.

La Rédemption
Diameter: 73mm
Weight: 150.70 g

By G. Dupré at the Paris Mint.

Obverse: Joseph kneeling slightly right, with back facing, beholding the infant Jesus, resplendent in halo, held up by the Virgin Mary, standing left; lighted altar to left, flock of sheep grazing in background to right; thorn of crowns in exergue
Reverse: St. John leaning right upon altar, holding icon and with Bible propped up; altar inscribed O CRVX AVE / SPES VNICA (O hail the cross, our only hope) in two lines; pastoral scene in background.
Edge: «cornucopia» BRONZE.

 

I've got several (a couple dozen or so) Bronzes...and a few of Silver. Not all are French.

What dividing line exists between Medal and Medallion? Does shape factor into it, or simply size?

The theme of this one puzzles me; has it to do with insurance?

I'll post several more of them this evening...after supper! wlw

PS: All of the pics I'll show were taken at least 10 years ago...the items are squirreled away, so dimensions and other specifics will necessarily have to wait for me to dig 'em out. I'll promise not to procrastinate too long...

 

Insurance is a definite theme. Though not France, in French, here is one from Belgium. My organizational system is seriously lacking (or possibly I haven't imaged any more), but I have several. This is the only photo that came to hand quickly though.

 

Very Nice! The imagery of the protecting shield, and illuminating torch, the mother and children...all powerful!

Stay tuned...

 

The original Bronze, Mutualite', is marked <cornucopia> BRONZE.
It is ~55.7mm X ~71mm; weight is 133 grams.

 

By Vernon.

 

As a exonumia medalaholic, I am loving this thread.

This medal isn't French, but it does pair well with a French medal that I have enroute.

First my Belgian medal by Weiner . . .

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The reverse on the medal above bears a striking resemblance to this French Marianne medal I recently purchased. It makes one wonder if the designer / engraver was the same for both reverses - Weiner?

The obverse of the French medal is attributed to Louis-Oscar Roty . . . .

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Enjoy.

Z

 

A magnificent trio! Thanks for sharing!! wlw

 

While you are enjoying the French Vernon train medal above, here are a couple more train medals. The first is a 1844 German medal, the second is a restrike of a US Mint 1869 Pacific Railway Completion medal.

I love these things . . . . I cannot resist . . . . .

Z



1844 German Industrial Exhibition - Railway Medal

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1896 Ulysses S. Grant / Pacific Railway Completion Medal
(HK-12 restrike)

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"Every Mountain Shall Be Made Low"

I'm a California native, and the story of the railroad through the Sierras was an achievement my father cherished...and shared often with his sons. The effort, ingenuity, cost (lives, and treasure) & hardship of that exercise in hard-rock pioneering is truly epic...perhaps incomparable in scope, and in reward.

Thanks for reminding me of the glory of that conquest! wlw

 

To return to the OP's original theme...but without the antiquity:
This is ~73.5mm, 184gm, 1975 Cornucopia, BRONZE.

A commemorative...Architecture on the reverse, various Industrial, Agricultural and Historical locations on the obverse...it seems.
Sculptor's initial beneath ancient Bison, obverse.
A particularly 'clean' medal...one of my favorites. wlw