(ca. 1850) AR Medal GW-25, Fronrobert MS(PCGS#910714)

Winter 2022 U.S. Coins Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

2024

等级

XF45

价格

152,546

详细说明

The Unique FonrobertHalf Dollar Circa 1850 Fonrobert Half Dollar. Musante GW-25, Baker-26. Silver. Plain edge. EF-45 (PCGS). 34.3 mm. 213.6 grains. Mottled rose, gold and pale blue-green toning accents are seen on both sides, but it is slightly more vibrant through the obverse periphery than elsewhere. Generous light gray silver remains closer to the centers. A very interesting piece that appears to be a direct copy of GW-23, the unique Large Eagle half dollar, itself believed a fantasy copy roughly based on the works of Peter Getz, though with the eagle styled after the 1791 large eagle cents, perhaps. That piece has a long illustrious provenance, and though parts are questionable, as suggested by Musante, we know that it appeared in the November 1862 sale of property from the Joseph Finotti Collection, cataloged by W. Elliot Woodward. This copy was die-struck, with some careful burnishing done at the time of manufacture to effectively give the appearance of greater age. Today, we recognize that stylistically this is more modern than the 1792 date might suggest, but at the time, very little had been published with images. Both collectors and dealers had to rely on largely descriptive texts, line drawings and direct experience with medals to make conclusions about any pieces not well known to them. Naturally, the rarer the object, the more likely one could be fooled if the work was good enough. This seems to be such a case. This piece first turned up in the German sale of the Jules Fonrobert Collection, in February 1878, conducted by Adolf Weyl. Thanks to a line-drawing plate, it is unmistakable as the medal sold therein at lot 6103. Weyl cataloged it as the only example known in circulation and pointed out that it differed from all others known in that the hair was styled differently, without side curls (as seen on the Getz portrait). Though a German national, Fonrobert is known to have lived in New York City for a number of years in the 1850s, during which time he is believed to have been an active collector, though he is not recorded as a known direct buyer in any auction sales. Most likely, he bought through an agent, but this time in America, and the fact that he was likely a newcomer to American numismatics, would have made him an ideal target for a piece like this, and would explain how it ended up in a German collection by 1878. Though it may have been born a concoction designed to fool a prominent 19th-century collector, its list of owners since its debut have given it a degree of authenticityas a meaningful entry into the vast body of medals produced in honor of Washington. In fact, it is somewhat legendary, as are all the collectors who have owned it. It was likely made as a one-off in the heyday of Washington medal collecting in the 1850s, and the quality of the work is actually quite good, not that much different than the Idler copies of Getz's works made by Robert Lovett, Jr. around 1860. It is also unique and among the few pieces that carry a solid provenance of nearly 150 years. Syd Martin is only the sixth collector to have owned it. Provenance: From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from Adolf Weyl’s sale of the Jules Fonrobert Collection, Berlin, February 1878, lot 6103; Professor Charles Anthon; Bangs, Merwin & Co.’s sale of the Charles Anthon Collection, October 1884, lot 407; T. Harrison Garrett; our (Bowers and Ruddy’s) sale of the Garrett Collection, Part IV, March 1981, lot 1718; John J. Ford, Jr.; our (Stack’s) sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part II, May 2004, lot 34; Lawrence R. Stack Collection, November 2006. Click here to see Coins in Motion.[“Coins]