France, A Bois-Durci Portrait medallion of Tsar Nicholas ii of Russia (1868-1918), 113 mm., bust left, signed on truncation Froger; the medallion is set into a square bois-durci frame, decorated in each corner with a spray of laurel, with overall measurements of 175 x 175 mm. Extremely fine and very rare (£180-220)

This is the first example of a bois-durci medallion seen by the cataloguers to be signed. It is also the first example recorded as being mounted in this manner. See Plate II for illustration.