Lot 2237
Nicholas I, 1825-1855, Nicholas I-Nicholas II, Octagonal Plaquette. GOLD. Octagonal Plaquette. GOLD. 84 x 60 mm. 305.8 gm. By A. Gube. Opening of the Moscow Triumphal Arch in St. Petersburg, 1838. Diakov 541.1 (R5), Reichel 3661 (silver), Sm 491. View of the Arch / Ten-line legend between trophies of armor and weapons. Excessively rare. Minor contact marks and hairline scratches. Struck in deep, high-relief; meticulous details and lustrous, prooflike surfaces. Uncirculated. Built in memory of Russia’s victories, notably in the Russo-Turkish War of 1828, the arch was designed by Vasily Stasov. City leaders originally planned to place it by Obvodny Canal, but as the city limits expanded further south, the site was moved to the intersection of the Moscow Road and the Ligovsky Canal. Its new location, created the added benefit of making the Triumphal Arch an impressive gateway to the capital.
Estimated Value $200,000-UP.
Ex "The New York Sale, Auction XII," New York, January 12, 2006, lot 1493. Ex "Grand Duke George Mikhailovich Collection," Christies, July 3, 1950, lot 372. Ex "Grand Duke George Mikhailovich Collection," Hess, Luzern, October 25, 1939.
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| Realized $263,250 |
