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Great Britain - 1815

Blücher et Wellington

Obverse:

Uniformed bust of the Duke of Wellington facing, bare head within circular medallion and olive branches; Angel supporting it from above. Crown in splendour above.

Legend:

a ribbon inscribed SUCH WELLINGTON ART THOU TRIUMPHANT FAME

Exergue:

/ SHALL THRO THE WORLD IMMORTALIZE THY NAME

Size:

78 mm.

Reverse:

Equestrian figure of Field-Marshal von Blücher left, trampling on a fallen figure.

Legend:

On a ribbon above: THE FALL OF HAMBURGH'S / TYRANT, DAVOUST / BLUCHER / ELBAS' / EMPEROR.

Exergue:

In small type above: STRUCK BY J. PARISH IN HONOUR OF HIS OLD FRIEND BLUCHER.

Vern's Comments:

Isn't this a superb medal? It tries to do something for everyone, and very nearly succeeds in doing it.

It contains an interesting error though, one that might have been expected to be caught by contemporaries. Davoust (modern spelling appears to be Davout) was bald and in this detail you can see that he apparently has donned a toupee for the honor of having his crotch crushed by Blücher's horse. That's got to hurt! He was known for wearing the wire spectacles that you can see.

Also, this is another of those medals where the British / French bias surface simply in the choice of which side is the obverse, and which the reverse. For the British, Wellington is the obvious choice for obverse; for the French, Davout, even in defeat, is more interesting.

Is the dejected man in the left foreground of this detail Napoléon? I suspect he is, about to be escorted aboard a boat to be rowed to the ship.

Blücher probably appreciated the fact that Napoléon was sitting under his horse's tail.

Bramsen:

Bramsen - 1736 Blücher et Wellington.(Halliday.)
En haut, au bord: STRUCK BY I. PARISH. IN HONOUR OF HIS OLD FRIEND BLUCHER. Le prince Blücher, à cheval en uniforme, à droite. Le cheval marche sur le corps du maréchal Davoust, lequel porte des lunettes. Au fond, la ville de Hambourg, à droite, et plusieurs personnes levant leur mains vers le ciel; à gauche, un homme assis et un navire avec un bateau.	Sous une couronne rayonnante, un ange tient le buste de Wellington dans un ovale.
En haut, à droite, sur une fiche: THE FALL OF HAMBURGH'S TYRANT, DAVOUST. Au milieu: BLUCHER; à gauche: ELBA'S EMPEROR.	Dessous, sur une toile on lit: SUCH WELLINGTON ART THOU, TRIUMPHANT FAME SHALL THRO THE WORLD IMMORTALIZE THY NAME.
Médaille, 78 mm. - Inédite; Ampach N^o 9328.

d'Essling:

d'Essling 1480 Capitulation du maréchal Davoust à Hambourg. (Halliday).
STRUCK BY I. PARISH IN HONOUR OF HIS OLD FRIEND BLUCHER. Blücher à cheval, à g. passant sur le corps du maréchal Davoust. A l'horizon vue de la ville et du port.	R. Sur un cartouche orné de palme et de laurier, buste de ¾ de Wellington. Au-dessus figure ailée et couronne rayonnante.
Au-dessus sur une banderole: THE FALL OF HAMBURGH'S TYRANT DAVOUST etc.	Au-dessous, sur une banderole: SUCH WELLINGTON ART THOU, TRIUMPHANT FAME SHALL THRO THE WORLD IMMORTALIZE THY NAME.
(Ampach n^o 9328 - B. 1736). Arg., étain et fonte de Berlin, 78 mm.

BHM:

Blücher et Wellington