GREAT BRITAIN. Charles dÉon de Beaumont Tribute Bronze Medal, 1777. NGC MS-62 Brown.Eimer-770. Unsigned. Diameter: 38.5mm. Obverse: Bust of Beaumont facing three-quarters right, perimeter legend MADAME DAEON *; Reverse: Ten-line legend AVOCAT/ AU PART. DE PARIS / DOCTR. EN DT. CAPITE. / DE DRAGS. CHEVALIER / DE L. R. ET M. DE ST. LOS. / MINISTRE DE LA COUR / DE FRANCE EN ANGLE / TERRE. GENTILHOME / DAMBASSADE EN / RUSSIE. with date J777 . F below. Charles-Geneviève-Louise-Auguste-Andrée-Timothée dÉon de Beaumont, the Chevalier dÉon, was a French lawyer who was recognized by Louis XV and asked to join the intelligence service. Somewhat androgynous in appearance, he spied for France in Russia by allegedly disguising himself as a woman and becoming Empress Elisabeths reader. He then became a captain in the dragoons, was given the Order of St. Louis, and was named a "chevalier" after the 1763 Treaty of Paris. He took up residence in England afterward gathering intelligence but also trying to stay out of reach of French authorities. Despite the dragoon uniform, the British suspected Beaumont was actually a woman. Returning to France, he convinced authorities he was a woman in order to receive a pension. In 1777 Louis XVI officially recognized Beaumont as a woman; she then returned to London, living as a woman the rest of her life. The reverse legends emphasize the accomplishments of Beaumont, perhaps in an effort to rehabilitate his image. Refer to W. D. Haggards article in the 1847-8 Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society. Forrer interpreted the "F" after the date as a signature rather than an abbreviation for FECIT.<p>A charming if somewhat unsophisticatedly executed medal celebrating a rather unconventional figure in diplomatic and political history. This example offers glossy chocolate surfaces with splashes of mahogany on the reverse. A most engaging medal.Margolis had a few rather overt interests in his collecting of medallic art. One such theme was that of medals pertaining to mans earliest pursuits to conquer the heavens in the form of ballooning. The European exploits of the late 18th century are contained here across many different country categories. Also quite noticeable was his interest in the medallic art of Jewish engravers, such as Jakob Abraham and his son, Abraham Abramson, among numerous others. Across this selection of medals, these themes and topics will become obvious, adding further dimensions to the already intense focus with which Margolis pursued his collecting.From the Richard Margolis Collection.
*拍品信息由各家拍卖公司提供，首席数据中心刊载出于传递更多信息之目的，并不意味着赞同其观点或证实其描述。
