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31
First WWI Series / The Bomb
« Last post by Henry Scott Goodman on May 26, 2020, 12:03:57 PM »


DIE BOMBE
(The Bomb)

No Date (1914), Cast bronze uniface medal, 63.0mm, 68g., Edge-stamped: C.POELLATH SCROBENH., Ernsting WVZ 60, Frankenhuis 1353.  Henry Scott Goodman Collection

The otherwise flat field slightly rises toward the raised border, and with two arched steps to form the top edge of the raised, flat exergue.  Device motif is sculpturally raised from four overlapping planes.

On the left an exploding, spherical bomb; hit by the shrapnel or retreating before the explosion a group of soldiers coming from the right with lances and three flags, the front warrior in the group falling to the ground from shrapnel and another warrior at the rear falling from an additional explosion.   In the center of the exergue ‘DIE BOMBE’ is raised in one line; at the upper edge of the section left and right are incuse L· - G marked artists initials. 

Six examples are located in museum collections:

Brüssel, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, Albert I Penningkabinett (Royal Library).
London, British Museum, Department of Coins and Medals
Munich, Staatliche Münzsammlung (National Coin Collection).
Paris, Musée d’Historie Contemporaine (Museum of Contemporary History).
Stuttgart, Württembergisches Landesmuseum (Württemberg Regional Museum).
Vienna, Heeresgeschichtliches Museum (Museum of Military History).

Three examples are known in private collections.


ICONOGRAPHY

This medal expresses, in the collapse of the proud lance-carrying warriors, the disintegration of the once romantic ideal of warfare and the helplessness of the individual soldier before the overwhelming power of modern high explosives. 

According to Ernsting:

The mass destructive effect of modern war machinery was tempered back by Gies - if an attempt is made to historically classify this representation and its pictorial details - into the return of the epoch from the Middle Ages to modern times.  Thus, the allegorical theme of previous times becomes an iconological instrument in the depiction for the experience of war. 

Together with WVZ 55 to WVZ 62 a work probably created before December 1914 as one piece within a series of eight.
32
Hans Lindl / Skagerrak
« Last post by Rabenauge on May 19, 2020, 04:07:38 PM »

Hans Lindl.  1916. 

ZUR SEESCHLACHT VOR DEM SKAGERRAK (at the sea battle near the Skagerrak).  Cast bronze, dark brown patina, natural verdigris, 73.1 mm, 138.83 g.  Vorzüglich (extremely fine).  Rare.

Obverse: In wavy rippling sea, German eagle, wings outspread, attacks swimming British bulldog; title legend upper edge; battle date 31 Mai 1916 in exergue; artist's initials H・ ——— L lower left and right respectively, above exergue; raised rim upper edge. 

Reverse: In wavy rippling sea, Death personified as giant skeleton to right, in short cape and wielding pole, swamps lifeboat  and occupants; three-funneled steamship left mid-distance; two-line inscription TODESKAMPF ZUR SEE / IM WELTKRIEG (death struggle at sea in the World War) in exergue; raised rim upper edge.

Cf: Schulman.  1918.  La Guerre Européenne, Catalogue LXX, p. 28: no. 343 (iron example).

Cf: Frankenhuis, M.  (1919?)  Catalogue of Medals - Medalets and Plaques Relative to the World War 1914 - 1919, p. 173, no. 1446.

Cf: Kluge, B., and B. Weisser.  2014.  Gold gab ich für Eisen, p. 159: no. A 82 (bronze example).

Cf: Klose, Dietrich O. A.  2016.  Europas Verderben 1914 1918: Deutsche und österreichische Medaillen auf den Ersten Weltkrieg, pp. 188: no, 12.19 (iron example).

One of four "Totentanz" medal designs produced by Lindl.  All were likely issued in both bronze and iron.  This medal celebrates the German High Seas Fleet's "victory" at the Battle of Skagerrak (=Jutland).
33
First WWI Series / Mars Throws Bombs Into a Fortress
« Last post by Henry Scott Goodman on May 19, 2020, 12:01:59 PM »


MARS WIRFT BOMBEN IN EINE FESTUNG
(Mars Throws Bombs Into a Fortress)

1915, Cast bronze uniface, 63.5mm, 66.0g, Edge-Punched: C.POELLATH SCHROBENH.,  Ernsting WVZ 59  Henry Scott Goodman Collection

Flat field ends at slightly raised rim, sculpturally raised image with flat exergue.

From the left, a powerful fighter figure in right profile wearing spurred high boots, chest armor, saber at his waist, shields on his hands, and a highly plumed helmet. Carrying a container of bombs in his right hand, he crouches slightly to carefully deliver a bomb from his left hand into the already burning and smoking citadel. In the middle of the exergue are the incised initials, L · G · of the artist.
 
Number in Museum Collections: 6

Brüssel, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, Albert I Penningkabinett (Royal Library)
London, British Museum, Department of Coins and Medals
Munich, Staatliche Münzsammlung (National Coin Collection)
New York, American Numismatic Society
Paris, Musée d’Historie Contemporaine  (Museum of Contemporary History)
Stuttgart, Württembergisches Landesmuseum (Württemberg Regional Museum)


Number known in Private Collections: 2

An interpretation of the iconography remains elusive although we might surmise that the fighter is a British cuirassier and, therefore, the artist may have had in mind a particular event of WWI, namely the British bombardment of the Ottoman forts of the Dardanelles in early 1915, however, Ernsting states that the architectural backdrop is reminiscent of the view of an Ottoman city and thus of the comparable depiction on WVZ 58 "Siege".  The possibility of an iconographic interpretation that the figure refers to an English guardsman and thus alludes to a concrete event of the First World War, such as the bombardment of the Dardanelles by British and French ships in November 1914, remains indisputable.  Together with WVZ 55 to WVZ 62 probably made before December 1914 as one piece within a series of eight.
34
First WWI Series / Siege
« Last post by Henry Scott Goodman on May 19, 2020, 10:56:00 AM »


BELAGERUNG
(Siege)

No Date (1914) Cast bronze uniface medal, 66.7mm, 94.3g, Edge stamp C. POELLATH SCHROBENH., Ernsting WVZ 58.  Henry Scott Goodman Collection.

Flat field, slightly ascending towards the raised border, lower section; the device designs are sculpturally descending in thirteen planes from the foreground exergue to the medal’s surface field.

In the foreground, from left and right, a group of warriors with lances and a flag, on the left a mortar; between the groups and ramparts and cutting into a high, stone terrace wall, at the end of which and to the left and right are also more groups of lancet-bearing soldiers; the town architecture on this level, developing further upwards in steps, with a wide arched gate, on the next two steps houses and slender beacon towers, at the top a large cylindrical building with a flat dome, at top a crescent moon.  In the exergue an incuse L·G·. 

Number in Museum Collections: 6

Brüssel, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, Albert I Penningkabinett (Royal Library)
London, British Museum, Department of Coins and Medals
Munich, Staatliche Münzsammlung (National Coin Collection)
Paris, Musée d’Historie Contemporaine  (Museum of Contemporary History)
Stuttgart, Württembergisches Landesmuseum (Württemberg Regional Museum)
Vienna, Kunsthistoriches Museum (Art History Museum)


Number known in Private Collection: 3

Provenance: Ex-Pellegrini

The architecture, especially the crescent moon, resembles an Ottoman city scene of perhaps Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque both in current day Istanbul.  Nevertheless, there is no clear historical context for the shelling of the Dardanelles in November 1914 and the simultaneous landing of British and French troops which occurred in the following year, 1915, of the war. Together with WVZ 56 to WVZ 62 this work was created as one piece within a series of eight, probably before December 1914
35
Propaganda / War Mongering
« Last post by Henry Scott Goodman on May 18, 2020, 12:54:31 PM »


KRIEGS - HETZE
(War Mongering)

1915, Cast bronze uniface, 50mm, 30.1g, Ernsting WVZ 74, Edge-punch; C.POELLATH SCHROBENH. Henry Scott Goodman Collection

A smooth and slightly concave surface; with raised edge and exergue foreground.

Image of a large head with distorted features, profile right, wearing a flat helmet with spike and chin-strap. The severed head is held above the anxious and gesticulating crowd on a pike, as is a clenched gauntlet. The men and women carry flags and banners. Rim inscription reads KRIEGS - HETZE (War Mongering). The artist’s initials, L·G·, are incised into the exergue.


Number in Museum Collections: 7

Hamburg, Hamburger Kunsthalle (Hamburg Arts Center)
London, British Museum, Department of Coins and Medals
Munich, Staatliche Münzsammlung (National Coin Collection)
New York, American Numismatic Society
Stuttgart, Württembergisches Landesmuseum (Württemberg Regional Museum)
Vienna, Heeresgeschichtliches Museum (Museum of Military History)
Museum examples located in Hamburg, London, Munich, New York, Stuttgart, and Vienna. This is one of three available for private collection


Number known in private collections: 3


The rather ambiguous helmet on the severed head doesn’t provide a clue as to which participating nation it might belong to. The flat nature of the helmet resembles British helmets while at the same time the spike looks like a German military helmet.
 
Gies claimed during the censoring investigation that this medal was made to warn the Italians about the “German God of War” if they followed through with fighting the Austrians. His arguments were unconvincing and the medal was banned by the German High Command soon thereafter. It is likely that Gies created the medal to show the general war-mongering mood evident throughout Europe at the beginning of the war. It was also a subtle jab towards the bellicose German nationalists and state propaganda.

36
First WWI Series / Field Hospital
« Last post by Henry Scott Goodman on May 16, 2020, 10:09:09 PM »


FELDLAZARETT
(Field Hospital)

No Date (1914) Cast bronze uniface medal, 66.4mm, 68.1g, Edge-punched: C. POELLATH SCHROBENH. Ernsting WVZ 57  Henry Scott Goodman Collection.

A flat field with a raised, wide border, the lower exergue is raised and set off from the edge; the image motif is raised into nine sculptural overlapping planes.
   
In the middle of hilly terrain five staggered and overlapping tents, the closest two with Red Cross emblems and warming fires within, the tent furthest right with a small flag; in the foreground atop the exergue forming the ground surface and from left to right, two men carry a stretcher with a man lying to the left, head and right arm lowered, to the right are two more wounded in stretchers facing left.  Behind and to the right, two men carry a stretcher with wounded man up stairs to the left and toward the tents; behind a small flag with Red Cross emblem.  Small incuse L.G. near bottom of exergue.

Number in Museum Collections: 6

Brüssel, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, Albert I Penningkabinett (Royal Library)
London, British Museum, Department of Coins and Medals
Munich, Staatliche Münzsammlung (National Coin Collection)
Paris, Musée d’Historie Contemporaine  (Museum of Contemporary History)
Stuttgart, Württembergisches Landesmuseum (Württemberg Regional Museum)
Vienna, Kunsthistoriches Museum (Art History Museum)

Number known in Private Collection: 2


Together with WVZ 55 to WVZ 62 this work was created as one piece within a series of eight probably before December 1914.  Compositionally, it reflects the previous work WVZ 56: foreground and background scenery are separate, the hilly topography allows the visual elements to rise to the upper border, filling the round field.
37
First WWI Series / Mortar in Mountain Position
« Last post by Henry Scott Goodman on May 13, 2020, 09:57:59 PM »

MÖRSER IN BERGSTELLUNG
(Mortar in Mountain Position)

No Date (1914) Cast bronze uniface medal, 62.8mm, 90.2g, Edge-punched: C. POELLATH SCHROBENH. Ernsting WVZ 56 
Henry Scott Goodman Collection

The flat field rises slightly towards the raised border, the lower exergue is raised and set off from the edge; the image motif is raised sculpturally.
   
In the middle of hilly terrain three heavy guns protected by large bulwarks; in the foreground from right to left a pair of men pull two wagons stacked full of cannonballs; behind each gun are operating crews, behind the front gun a soldier with telescope.  Small incuse L.G. in exergue.

Number in Museum Collections: 6

Brüssel, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, Albert I Penningkabinett (Royal Library)
London, British Museum, Department of Coins and Medals
Munich, Staatliche Münzsammlung (National Coin Collection)
Paris, Musée d’Historie Contemporaine  (Museum of Contemporary History)
Stuttgart, Württembergisches Landesmuseum (Württemberg Regional Museum)
Vienna, Kunsthistoriches Museum (Art History Museum)

Number known in Private Collection: 2

Provenance: Ex-Steve Pellegrini Collection


ICONOGRAPHY
According to Ernsting; Together with WVZ 55 to WVZ 62 this work was one of a series of eight, probably before December 1914.  Threat and impressive attitude at the same time; which emanated from the mighty guns of the First World War, and whose fascination did not stop even Gies, express the previously introduced character of monumental representations.
38
First WWI Series / Theater of War
« Last post by Henry Scott Goodman on May 13, 2020, 11:49:53 AM »

KRIEGS - SCHAUPLATZ
(Theater of War)

No Date (1914) Cast bronze uniface medal, 79.0mm, 122.8g., Edge stamp: C.POELLATH SCHROBENH.  Ernsting WVZ 55
Henry Scott Goodman Collection

The large, flat exergue forming the foreground is thick at the bottom and descends towards the slightly raised border.  The image motif is sculpturally raised.
   

Scenic sequence from left to right: a densely packed group of people, including women, looks up at the drummer in tails and top hat, acting on a stage constructed of wooden beams festooned with garlands, draperies, and a canopy; to the right of the curtain, raised by a monkey in costume and lifted by a rope, a uniformed man with lance and a turban-like headgear descends from the stand to join other marching men to the right.  Above the show booth, a banner with the inscription KRIEGS - SCHAUPLATZ raised on a crossbar; in the exergue a recessed L.G. is inscribed.  Edge stamp: C.POELLATH SCHROBENH.

Number in Museum Collections: 5

Brüssel, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, Albert I Penningkabinett (Royal Library)
Dresden, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen (State Art Collection)
London, British Museum, Department of Coins and Medals
New York, American Numismatic Society
Vienna, Kunsthistoriches Museum (Art History Museum)


Number known in Private Collection: 2

Provenance: Ex-Steve Pellegrini Collection


ICONOGRAPHY
According to Ernsting Bernhart's interpretation of the image, which was handed down in 1914, is only binding to a limited extent: On the one hand, iconographic features such as the costume of the civilian population listening on the left speak against a secure identification of the group of people with Indians.  On the other hand, none of the works created in 1914 in this series context is to be understood as a concrete, contemporary historical illustration.  However, since the piece was also shown in exhibitions under the title “Indians” and Bernhart was also personally known to Gies, there is still the possibility that the artistic imagination was inflamed by the events of the day, without wanting to make them the subject of the medal in a reportage or even satirical sense.  Together with WVZ 56 to WVZ 62, this work was created as one piece within a series of eight, probably from December 1914.
39
Patrons / Re: Von Volckamer auf Kirchensittenbach
« Last post by Henry Scott Goodman on May 02, 2020, 04:34:06 PM »
   
   

Anna Tetzel von Kirchensittenbach

1912, Cast bronze Medallion, 92.0 mm, 271.50 g, 'KGoeTz' edge-punch. Ex. Johan Max Böttcher

Obverse: Anna seated with hair drawn back and wearing a flat hat with corded edge, half left, in heavy brocade robe with winged collar over a sheer ruffle collar blouse. A heavy chained necklace descends from both shoulders.  Anna's bust is truncated at the bottom edge of the medallion, just behind, a pearled border encloses all devices and text.  Along inner border; ANNA•TETZEL•VON-KIRCHENSITTENBACH•GEBORNE•V•VOLCKAMER.  Field left; AET•28• (at the age of 28).  Field right; 1514•1573 (the years of her birth and death)

Reverse:  Coat of arms with helmet, mantling and crest.  Pearled border.  SIE•VERMAEHLTE•SICH•1534•MIT•JOBST•TETZEL: U•IST•DIE•MUTTER•DES•JOBST•FRIEDRICH•TETZEL✤ (She married in 1534 Jobst Tetzel and is the mother of Jobst Friedrich Tetzel).  Inside smaller text at bottom: GESTIFTET V. GUIDO V. VOLCKAMER AD 1912 (Endowed by Guido von Volckamer in 1912)

Provenance: KarlGoetz.com Collection
 
40
Patrons / Von Volckamer auf Kirchensittenbach
« Last post by Henry Scott Goodman on May 02, 2020, 04:30:30 PM »
A commissioned suite of medals and medallions created early after Goetz' arrival in Munich.  Karl became good friends with Guido and his wife Antonie Volckamer.

The Volckamer family had deep roots reaching back into the German Renaissance period.  Goetz, like all other Secessionist medallists, was deeply interested in reviving the artistic quality of the renaissance period, specifically of the 16th c. German artists.
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