The Lugdunum Auction 21

In 2021 our floor-auction took place on Wednesday, 9. June in Solothurn.
Location/venue: Hotel H4, Schänzlistrasse 5, CH-4500 Solothurn, Switzerland.

Offered for sale was a small group of outstanding medals from the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The medals have been assembled at the beginning of the 20th Century by the famous art collector, numismatist and benefactress Martine, Comtesse de Béhague, 1870-1939. Among them was „La Calaisienne“, a large silver medal from French king Charles VII, which celebrated the end of the 100 Years’ War.

Discover our printed catalogue online:

Islamic coins
Lot No. 1 – 44

Swiss coins & medals
Lot No. 15 – 40

European coins & medals
Lot No. 41 – 140

German coins & medals
Lot No. 141-143

Habsburg Hereditary Lands
Lot No. 144 – 145

Coins & medals from Overseas
Lot No. 146 – 213

Here you can find the prices realized in tabular form
for print or download.

This link leads to the AUEX website, the individual lots with picture, description and hammer price.

The Lugdunum Auction 21

Highlights

Pieces with a provenance from her famous collection are of great interest to any connoisseur, numismatist or art collector.
The Comtesse collected only the best works of art available at the time and this provenance is therefore a guarantee of great artistic value, rarity and good taste.

Lot 48:
is an extremely rare Silver medal, minted in 1455 by the French King Charles VII. (1422-1461).

Also known as the Calaisienne, it commemorates the end of the Hundred Years’ War and the subsequent expulsion of the English from French territory.

The medal is of great historical significance and artistic value. It was on the market for the last time almost 100 years ago, in December 1921.

estimation CHF 50’000 / hammer price CHF 340’000

Go for more information about Lot 48 / La Calaisienne

Lot 53:
is an unpublished Gold medal from François de France, Duc d’Anjou et d’Alençon (1555-1584).

It was cast in 1580 and must be associated with the Treaty of Plessis-lèz-Tours, which was signed in September 1580 and paved the way for the formal independence of the United Provinces of the Netherlands.

estimation CHF 10’000 / hammer price CHF 36’000

Lot 53 – video viewing

Lot 58:
is a very artistic Gold medal for Maria de Medici (1610-1614), attributed to the famous French sculptor and medallist Guillaume Dupré (1576-1643).

The medal was cast between 1610 and 1614 and is a masterpiece of medallic art in high relief, showing the opulence and ambition of the French queen in perfection.

estimation CHF 50’000 / hammer price CHF 110’000

Go for more information about Lot 58 / Maria de Medici

Lot 59:
is a large Gold medal of 116 g. depicting the French King Louis XIII (1610-1643) and sigend by Guillaume Dupré.

It was cast in 1623 to commemorate the suppression of the first Huguenot uprising and is an extremely rare testimony to the great wealth of the first half of the 17th century.

estimation CHF 50’000 / hammer price CHF 150’000

Go for more information about Lot 59 / Louis XIII.

Lot 96:
is a very rare Gold medal minted in London in 1545 depicting the Tudor King Henry VIII (1509-1547).

It is also known as the Supremacy Medal commemorating Henry’s appointment as head of the Church of England. It is considered to be the first English commemorative medal ever minted.

estimation CHF 75’000 / hammer price CHF 260’000

Go for more information about Lot 96 / Henry VIII.

Lot 142:
is a piece of 5 Goldgulden struck in 1528 in Hildesheim, Germany.

The gold guilder was probably mounted in a very beautiful pendant decorated with pearls and enamel at the beginning of the 17th century.

estimation CHF 5’000 / hammer price CHF 13’000