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Description: | Cast lead-alloy medal celebrating marriage dating from the post-medieval period, i.e. the 17th century or, more likely, later as it could be a British copy of the earlier German marriage medal dating from the 17th century (see blow). The inscription reads VNANIMI VIGEANT CORPORA JVNCTA FIDE and while the reverse bears a geometric/floral design the obverse bears a male (right) and female (left) head in one body. There is a cupid on either side of the body, holding one end of a banner and the one one the left looks as if he is also holding a horse shoe, possibly as sign for good luck/fortune.http://www.archive.org/stream/mnzenundmedaill00hambgoog#page/n136/mode/1up/search/UNANIMI:Some of these medals celebrating medals were made by a German called Paul Walther:WALTER, PAUL (Germ.'). Medallist and Mint-engraver at Dresden during the second quarter of the seventeenth century. He worked for the Elector John George I. of Saxony, and his medals are dated between 1635 and 1644. Until 1885 the identity of this Medallist was unknown, although his medals signed P. W. had long been noticed. The brothers J. and A. Erbstein published a contribution entitled Der Kuerfuerstlich-saechsische Eisenschneider Paul Walter und seine Arbeiten, which cleared up the mystery. They came across the full name of the Engraver on a silver shell dated 1635 and inscribed : PAVLVS WALTER | .CHVR. F. S. MINTZ J EISEN- SGHNEITER. The name of Walter or Walther occurs in Dresden annals as early as 1533. Several members of this family practised the art of sculpture, but no particulars have been found as yet on the life of Paul Walter, whose activity fell in the period of the Thirty years' War. Paul Walther's medals nearly all commemorate weddings, anniversaries, etc. and were struck as presents on public and private festive occasions.Unfortunately they offer very little artistic interest. To Walter we owe no doubt a great number of coin-dies for the currency of John George I., but these not being signed, it is impossible to assign any to him with certainty. He succeeded R. N. Kitzkatz as Mint-engraver in 1633. Medals : - 1635. Medal on the Marriage of Princess Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony with the Danish Crown Prince Christian (V); signed : P. .W. (Tenzel, L. A. 49, I); - Another, with different fyL (Tenzel 49, II); 1636. New year's Medal (two var., one with the tyL legend in Gothic characters, and the other in Roman letters; sizes : 40 and 33 mill.); Marriage medal ; T$L. UNANIMI VIGEANT CORPORA IUNCTA FIDE * ; signed "P W"; 1638. Marriage medal of the Prince Elector John George (II) with Princess Magdalene Sibylle, daughter of Margrave Christian of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (Tenzel L. A. 52, II). Two other varieties, described by Erbstein, n os 7 and 8 ; Marriage medal, AMORIS MUTUI SYMBOLUM (Tenzel L. E. 30,11) ; 1641. New year's medal, DEN LEHRDEN WEHR, etc.; 1642. New year's medal ; I$L. *STRENA * A c * 1642 PACEKT etc. (Erbst. n n); -
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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