1777 B. Franklin Américain Portrait Medallion. Fur Cap without Spectacles. By Émile Balon, after Jean Baptiste Nini. Margolis-10, Baiardi-Sibille 94, Greenslet GM-5, Storelli-LXII, Villers-45. Terracotta.113.5 mm, approximately 9.0 mm at the edge. 219.0 grams. Obverse with incuse signature and date, NINI / F 1777 on truncation, left of coat of arms. B FRANKLIN AMERICAIN around, separated by five stops, with raised plain border. Made with a suspension hole from the top edge through to the back, as typical. Squared, finished edges with the back rim gently rounded. Rich orange-tan surfaces are quite uniform with just a trace of darkening on the primary border ring and atop some of the higher points. A small piece of felt is glued to the central reverse and a white ink number is near the suspension hole. No notable chips or cracks are seen beyond a couple of tiny flakes in the outer border.<p>Nicely detailed with most of the letters crisp and other details pleasantly sharp. Upon close inspection, the surfaces have a gentle matte texture and occasional molding flaws that are not uncommon on the copies of Ninis works but much less so on his originals. This has been attributed to Balons shop because it is a particularly fine example consistent in quality, finishing, texture and color with what is seen on others attributed to his shop. This said, it is worth noting that the size of this piece is within the range reported by Margolis for the known originals, pointing to the likelihood that Balon worked directly from Ninis original mold rather than having made his own based on a finished Nini medallion. As such, this is one step closer to "original" and it is clearly very rare in any form. Margolis accounted for only four examples of his #10 medallion, without mention of known copies. He owned two of them, one of which was plated in his study on page 69. Others were noted in Historic New England, Boston (the William Sumner Appleton specimen) and in the Victoria and Albert Museum, both institutionally owned.
