Holy Roman Empire, Matthias (1612-1619), silver gilt coronation medal, 1612, by Christian Maler, MATTH ROM IMP CAES ET ANNA AVSTR AVG, conjoined busts of Matthias and his wife Anna to right, the Emperor laureate, draped, and cuirassed, wearing high large ruff and the collar and badge of the Order of the Golden Fleece, the Empress wearing dress with jewelled bodice and high, fan shaped, lace ruff, rev. legend in nine lines, signed below CVM PRIVILEG CM, 40mm. (Forrer, III, 543; Joseph-Fellner 317), rim pierced and plugged at 12 o'clock, extremely fine, the gilding slightly dulled but still attractive
Holy Roman Empire, Matthias (1612-1619), silver gilt coronation medal, 1612, by Christian Maler, MATTH ROM IMP CAES ET ANNA AVSTR AVG, conjoined busts of Matthias and his wife Anna to right, the Emperor laureate, draped, and cuirassed, wearing high large ruff and the collar and badge of the Order of the Golden Fleece, the Empress wearing dress with jewelled bodice and high, fan shaped, lace ruff, rev. legend in nine lines, signed below CVM PRIVILEG CM, 40mm. (Forrer, III, 543; Joseph-Fellner 317), rim pierced and plugged at 12 o'clock, extremely fine, the gilding slightly dulled but still attractive

Details
Holy Roman Empire, Matthias (1612-1619), silver gilt coronation medal, 1612, by Christian Maler, MATTH ROM IMP CAES ET ANNA AVSTR AVG, conjoined busts of Matthias and his wife Anna to right, the Emperor laureate, draped, and cuirassed, wearing high large ruff and the collar and badge of the Order of the Golden Fleece, the Empress wearing dress with jewelled bodice and high, fan shaped, lace ruff, rev. legend in nine lines, signed below CVM PRIVILEG CM, 40mm. (Forrer, III, 543; Joseph-Fellner 317), rim pierced and plugged at 12 o'clock, extremely fine, the gilding slightly dulled but still attractive
Provenance
Rothschild inv. no. LR75.

Lot Essay

Matthias had already become de facto ruler in much of Austria by the time the previous Emperor, his less capable younger brother Rudolph, died in 1612. This medal, of which there are several versions, celebrates his coronation at Frankfurt, 26 June 1612. Christian Maler, a goldsmith from Nrnberg, worked for both Rudolph and Matthias, the latter giving him permission 'to strike medals in his own house', a privilege noted on most of his medals CVM PRIVILEGIO.

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