POLAND. Gold Medallic 2 Ducats, 1772. Princess Isabella Czartoryska. NGC AU-55. Hutten-Czapski-3876. Diameter: 22.9mm. Weight: 6.94 gms. Diagonal edge reeding. EXTREMELY RARE with few examples known. Bust right in high--piled coiffure, lacy choker, "ISABELLA. PRINCEPS. CZARTORYSKA."; Reverse: Princely crown rests on mantle holding twin oval shields of Czartoryski and Fleming, legend "NAT: COM: DE. FLEMING. DOMINA. IN. BORKLO.". It is one of perhaps only two known, and its great beauty is matched only by its breath-taking rarity. Minor abrasions are noticed as one would expected from the designated grade, but this wholly elegant piece must be recognized as one of the legendary beauties of the Polish series.emBorn Countess Fleming, Lady in Borclo. Isabella was the daughter of Count Georg Detloff Flemming (1699-1771). She married Prince Casimir Czartoryski of the great Polish noble family. Borclo was a domain in the Achterhoek area of the Province of Gelderland in the Netherlands, consisting of a small castle and surrounding property then owned by Count Leopold of Limburg-Stirum. The Count sold the property in 1727 to Carl Philipp von Flodorf-Wartensleben who acted as agent for Field Marshal Jacob Heinrich Count von Flemming. In 1742 the domain was transferred to Georg Detleff Count von Flemming, whose daughter was the Isabella portrayed here. Her husband Prince Casimir was offered the elective Polish crown in 1764 but he refused it in favor of his cousin, Polands last King Stanislas August Poniatowski. Casimir and Isabelle were benefactors of education and the arts, and the Czartoryski Museum is still known today for her Copernicus collection and Leonardo da Vincis painting "The Lady with an Ermine." Isabelle inherited Borclo from her father in 1771 but sold it in 1777 to Dutch Stadholder Willem V who established a stud farm on the property. This was dissolved in 1850 and the castle was demolished in 1850. /ememAccording to Simon Konarski, Armorial de la Noblesse Polonaise Titrèe, the noble family of Czartotyski was in the highest ranks of the Polish Nobility, tracing its origin to Gediminas Constantin, son of Grand Duke Olgerd of Lithuania around 1383; granted the princely title in Poland-Lithuania in 1569, in Hungary 1442. The family Arms depicts Vytis (Polish: Pogon), the White Knight of Lithuania. The Counts Flemming appeared in Pomerania as early as 1279 and one of the family was chief minister of the court of Saxony when the Duke-Elector was also August III, King of Poland. Thus the stunning beauty Isabella portrayed here enjoyed a semi-regal position during the last years of the Polish kingdom./em
