Ancient, British and World Coins, Historical and Art Medals

Romania, 1891. Roumania, Carol I, Silver Jubilee, bronze medal by Anton Scharff, bust in military uniform left reverse crowned female figure holding a laurel wreath in her right hand, lion at her side, nihil sine deo on scroll above and the date 1877 on a tablet below, 64mm. Some marks to edge, otherwise good very fine

Anton Scharff (1845-1903), one of the foremost and most influential medallists of his day. Born in Vienna, he studied at the Academy of Decorative Arts and later at the School of Engraving under David Boehm. Scharff was appointed assistant engraver at the Vienna Mint in 1866, engraver 1868, director of the School of Engraving from 1882, and Court Medallist from 1887. In Forrer’s view “he was a fine draughtsman, modelled well, and depicted the familiar aspects of nature with a remarkable delicacy. Compared to the French school, his style is perhaps lacking in softness and over minute and delicate, which is the only criticism one can offer.”