Books about Napoleon Medals

by David Block

Napoleon, like Shakespeare, has been the subject of innumerable arguments. The sources for Shakespeare are few, leaving great space for conjecture. The sources for Napoleon are so many that even as industrious a team as Ariel and Will Durant could not be familiar with enough of them to divine the truth concealed under a mountain of books.

Few biographers have the ability to synthesize a man from what has been written about him and, when the best anecdotes about a historical figure have been written for ulterior purposes, to discount what has been written. Most of the memoirs written by Napoleon's contemporaries have had as their object to curry favor with the royalists or the imperialists. Neither side had as its main purpose the exposition of Napoleon as he was.

In one way or another this dichotomy has continued. George Will considers Napoleon to have been the most hateful tyrant who ever lived (which suggests that Mr. Will has never read Procopius' account of Emperor Justinian). Weider and Hapgood, who wrote so imaginatively about the murder of Napoleon, pinned the murder on a man they called "a general of Louis XVIII" with no apparent knowledge that the man was a protege of Napoleon who served faithfully in Napoleon's armies, was created a count by Napoleon in 1810 and was made a general by him in 1811. In January during the campaign of 1814, near Brienne, Gourgaud saved Napoleon's life.

Certainly Napoleon himself did little to reveal the true man. He attempted to suppress his earliest publication; he avoided discussions of his earliest public life. An outstanding gap appears in our knowledge of his activities during the reign of Robespierre, a period during which, in all likelihood, Fouche acquired the information which enabled him to stand up to Napoleon, even treasonously to propose in 1810 that the United Kingdom and France might make peace, even if it meant discarding Napoleon (Rose, Life of Napoleon, vol. 2, p. 196).

Napoleon Bonaparte One of the indisputable facts we have about Napoleon is that he had a series of medals issued commemorating notable events of his reign. But even this series of medals has its problems. When Louis XVIII began the part of his reign during which he ruled, it was decided that a damnatio memoriae be performed, that Napoleon had never existed. The mint had continued to strike and sell medals commemorating Napoleon. so the government took the dies for those medals away from the mint (1816). Consequently the medal mint list published in 1818 proceeds from the medals of Louis XVI to those of Louis XVIII without mentioning the hundreds turned out for Napoleon. To add insult to injury, two neutral medals of Napoleon's, Reestablishment of the Mint and Homage to Haydn are credited to Louis XVIII!

Although a catalog of medals of the French Revolution had been published in 1806 by Millin, Keeper of Coins and Medals at the French Library, the first catalog of Napoleonic medals was published in England, in 1818. The author, Captain J.C. Laskey, based his book on "The French Medal Mint List", a copy of which he gives. This list includes one hundred forty one medals and apparently represents all of the Napoleonic medals of which copies were for sale at the medal mint in 1815, before Napoleon was erased from the books. Laskey gives extensive background information about most of the medals he lists. Some copies of the book, and perhaps the entire edition, were printed on large paper. The only illustrations are culs-de-lampe, engraved on wood in the style of Bewick.

A couple of other catalogs appeared soon after Laskey's. In 1819 appeared the first part of Millingen's "Metallic history of Napoleon". Millingen's book is, as he explained, composed from the manuscript and plates prepared by Millin for a continuation of his "Metallic history of the French revolution" mentioned above. Millin's work covered the period from the revolution to 1806; Millingen extended the work to the exile of Napoleon in 1815. This is the first illustrated catalog of Napoleonic medals. The accuracy of most of the engravings leaves much to be desired but the notes are important. The book was published in two versions, one English and one French. The translation is so well done that it is impossible to separate Millin's words from Millingen's, making it difficult to decide which are an eye-witness's account and which an editor's opinion.

In 1820 Ann Mudie Scargill's name appears as author on a book titled "Medallic history of Napoleon Bonaparte, translated by Miss Ann Mudie Scargill, from the original manuscript, intended to have been published by the late government of France", 1820. Miss Scargill's introduction contains some interesting remarks about the status of medal production in Great Britain in 1820, but I think the book is a cheat which has no connection with any French manuscript. It is replete with errors, both typographic and factual. It adds nothing to Laskey or Millingen except for a description of a medal which apparently never existed, her number 118, Champ de Mai.

The demand of collectors for these medals growing, An enterprising man named Bigi began producing uniface casts. He published several brochures describing the medals of which he sold copies; in one dated 1828 he reproduces what he claims to be notes by Denon, the man who directed the creation of the medals. These notes were apparently translated verbatim from Millingen's "Metallic history", so they appear to be plagiarisms. They have no independent value.

The definitive illustrated catalog of the medals of the French Revolution was created by Hennin. Mr Hennin's researches are displayed in a scholarly and comprehensive text, illustrated with excellent engravings. Hennin's "Numismatic history of the French Revolution" was published in 1826. It remains the only catalog which contains practically all of the early Napoleonic medals and jettons.

The Medal Mint recovered its Napoleonic dies after the Revolution of 1830 and began restriking with them. Their inventory at that time is shown by the Metal Mint Catalog of 1833. It was originally intended that this catalog be an inventory of all the punches, hubs, and dies which the mint possessed, but the published part includes only the dies. By this time the mint had dies for about five hundred Napoleonic medals. Some of these dies were privately owned: because with a few exceptions medal striking was a state monopoly, the mint would strike medals for anyone who had dies and would, if required, store the private dies. One such entrepreneur was Brasseux. In 1840 he published "Catalogue des Médailles de l'Histoire numismatique de Napoleon, comme Général, Consul et Empereur, frappées a la Monnaie de Paris... en vente, chez Brasseux ainé, graveur du Roi, éditeur". Brasseux was having engravings made of the medals, the engravings to be issued individually. He explains that he has been acquiring the dies of Napoleonic medals which were struck in Italy and Germany and having new dies made when he could not obtain the originals. His list contains one hundred ten medals; the specimens from his newly created dies were edge-marked "COPIE".

The great illustrated catalogs of Napoleonic medals are part of Lénormant's Trésor de numismatique et glyptique, an expensive publication. This series replaced the old engraved illustrations of coins and medals by a new process whereby the engraved plates were prepared mechanically directly from casts of the medals. The volume containing medals of the French Revolution first appeared in 1836, followed in 1840 by one covering the empire. The text in these volumes, written by George-Julien Fellmann, does not reach Hennin's high standard, but this was the first publication of many of the medals from imperial times.Joseph Bonaparte

John Sainsbury was perhaps the most important collector of Napoleonic memorabilia in the nineteenth century. He published the catalog of his collection in 1845. Mr. Sainsbury reports with relish that when Joseph Bonaparte was examining the collection he quite frequently exclaimed, "How on earth did you get this?" The section devoted to state papers and manuscripts, 3540 of them, is impressive but the listing of his medals (498) is of little consequence, although number 101, a copy of the "Dux tutus ab insidiis" in silver, was "given him by his friend, the late Mr Barry O'Meara, to whom this Medal was given by the Emperor at St. Helena."

The definitive catalog for the medals issued while Napoleon was ruling France is that of Bramsen. Although this catalog is unillustrated it contains over 2300 pieces, with brief comments. If a dealer offers a medal "not in Bramsen" then that medal is a most probably a medal which should not be in Bramsen! Bramsen published his catalog, "A cabinet of medals of Napoleon the Great", in three parts, 1904-1913. Although he paid the printer for four hundred copies it seems likely that the printer made another four hundred or more for his own account, since this catalog is not really uncommon. Bramsen attempted to cover the period from the day Napoleon overthrew the Directorate (9 November 1799) to 1869. He explained that the earlier period had already been well done by Hennin, so he chose to begin where Hennin left off, basing his work on the Trésor volumes but supplementing it with pieces which had been overlooked and adding medals from foreign countries which were related to Napoleon or events of his reign. Bramsen asterisked the catalog entries he owned and remarked that the numbers not asterisked could be considered rare. Bramsen's collection was sold to Dr Julius in toto.

Three outstanding collections of Napoleonic medals have been sold at auction. The first belonged to the Prince d'Essling, the second to Dr Julius, and the third to Victor Bonaparte, Prince Napoleon. The last was a unique event, since it dispersed the copies of the medals in gold which had been struck for Napoleon I.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

1806. Histoire métallique de la révolution française... par A.L. Millin. Paris: Imp. impériale. Un vol. in-quarto, avec 26 planches. (Citation from Hennin.)

*1818. Captain J.C. Laskey. A description of the series of medals struck at the National Medal Mint by order of Napoleon Bonaparte commemorating the most remarkable battles and events during his dynasty. [eagle] by Captain J.C. Laskey, member of the Wernerian Society, L.S.H.S. &c. [double bar] London: printed for H.R. Young, No. 56, Paternoster-Row. [bar] 1818. Quarto, xii+238 pp.

1819, 1821. [A.L. Millin de Grandmaison and James Millingen] Medallic history of Napoleon. A collection of all the medals, coins, and jettons, relating to his actions and reign, from the year 1796 to 1815. [bar] London: printed for the editor, and sold by Rodwell and Martin, New Bond-Street. 1819. Quarto, viii+120 pp. + t.p. of supplement+42 pp.+74 engraved plates.

1820. Ann Mudie Scargill. Medallic history of Napoleon Bonaparte, translated by Miss Ann Mudie Scargill, From the Original Manuscript, intended to have been published by the late government of France. [bar] 1820. Octavo, xvi+182 pp.

Note: The proprietor ran The Medallic Cabinet, No. 168, Strand, six doors east of Somerset House.

*1826. M.H. [Hennin]. Histoire numismatique de la révolution française, ou description raisonné des médailles, monnaies, et autres monumens numismatiques relatifs aux affaires de la France, depuis l'overture des états- généraux jusqu'a l'établissement du gouvernement consulaire; par M. H..... avec planches. [device] Paris, J.S. Merlin, libraire, quai des Augustins, No. 7. [double bar] 1826. Quarto. Bastard t.p.+t.p.+xx+780 pp. A second volume contains 95 engraved plates.

1828. R. de B. Collection de médailles des campagnes et du régne de l'empereur Napoléon, depuis sa première campagne d'Italie, en 1796, jusqu'a son abdication en 1815. La notice est rédig‚ d'apres les manuscrits de M. Denon, par R. de B. [bar]Paris, chez Ch. Bigi, éditeur de cette collection, Rue Vivienne, No 2. [bar] 1828. Octavo, 16 pp.

1833. Commission des Monnaies et Médailles. Catalogue des poinçons, coins et médailles du Musée Monétaire. Paris, A. Pihan de la Forest, Imprimeur de la Cour de Cassation, Rue des Noyers, No 37. [bar] 1833. Quarto. xl+522 pp.

1836. George-Julien Fellmann. Trésor de numismatique et de glyptique, ou recueil général de médailles, monnaies, pierres gravées, bas reliefs, etc., tant anciens que modernes, les plus intéressans sous le rapport de l'art et de l'histoire, gravés par les procédés de M. Achille Collas, sous la direction de M. Paul Delaroche, peintre, membre de l'Institut; de M. Henriquel Dupont, graveur; et de M. Charles Lenormant, Conservateur-Adjoint du Cabinet des médailles et antiques de la Bibliothéque royale, professeur-adjoint a la facult‚ des lettres. [bar] Médailles de la Révolution française, depuis l'ouverture des états-généraux (5 mai 1789) jusqu'a la proclamation de l'empire (18 mai 1804). [bar] A Paris, au bureau du Trésor de numismatique et de glyptique, Rue du colombier, No. 30. Chez Rittner et Goupil, éditeurs marchands d'estampes, Boulevart Montmartre, No. 15. [bar]1836. Folio, bastard t.p.+t.p.+140 pp.+96 engraved plates. Note: The Trésor volumes were published in parts over a period of time.

*1837. Edward Edwards, ed. The Napoleon Medals: a complete series of the medals struck in France, Italy, Great Britain and Germany, from the commencement of the Empire in 1804, to the restoration in 1815, engraved by the process of Achilles Collas, with historical and biographical notices. Edited by Edward Edwards. London: Henry Hering, 9 Newman Street, Oxford street; Paul and Dominic Colnaghi and Co., Pall Mall East. M.D.CCC.XXXVII. Folio, frontispiece+t.p.+6 pp.+170 pp.+40 plates. Note: This is an English translation of the first half of the French Trésor volume covering the medals of the empire.

1840. Anonymous. Catalogue des Médailles de l'Histoire numismatique de Napoléon, comme Général, Consul et Empereur, frappées a la Monnaie de Paris, depuis la bataille de Montnotte, en 1796, jusqu'a nos jours. [bar] en vente, chez Brasseux ainé, graveur du Roi, Éditeur, Palais-Royal, No 47, Galerie Montpensier. [bar] 1840. A sixteen page brochure.

1840. George-Julien Fellmann. Trésor de numismatique et de glyptique, ou recueil général de médailles, monnaies, pierres gravées, bas reliefs, etc., tant anciens que modernes, les plus intéressans sous le rapport de l'art et de l'histoire, gravés par les procédés de M. Achille Collas, sous la direction de M. Paul Delaroche, peintre, membre de l'Institut; de M. Henriquel Dupont, graveur; et de M. Charles Lenormant, Conservateur de la Bibliothéque royale, professeur-suppléant a la facult‚ des lettres. [bar] Collection des Médailles de l'Empire français, et de l'Empereur Napoléon. [bar] A Paris, au bureau du Trésor de numismatique et de glyptique, Rue Jacob, No. 30; chez Rittner et Goupil, Éditeurs marchands d'estampes, Boulevart Montmartre, No. 15. [bar]1840. Folio, bastard t.p.+t.p.+2+148 pp.+72 engraved plates. Note: The Trésor volumes were published in parts over a period of time.

1845. John Sainsbury. The Napoleon museum The history of France illustrated from Louis XIV to the end of the reign and death of the Emperor comprising marbles bronzes carvings gems decorations medallions drawing miniatures portraits pictures prints vignettes state papers and manuscripts coins medals books etc. collected arranged and described by John Sainsbury [crowned eagle on thunderbolt gilt] "I am willing to think him one of the best as I am sure he is the greatest of men" Charles James Fox London printed in the year MDCCCXLV. Imperial quarto. Frontispiece+t.p.+contents+ii+692 pp.+40 lithographic plates.

1892. Administration des Monnaies et Médailles. Médailles françaises dont le coins sont conservés au Musée Monétaire. Paris: Imprimerie nationale, 1892. Large quarto. Bastard t.p.+t.p.+xii+572 pp.

*1904, 1907, 1913. L. Bramsen. Médaillier Napoléon le Grand ou description des médailles, clichés, répoussés et médailles- décorations relatives aux affaires de la France pendant le Consulat et l'Empire par L. Bramsen Conseiller Intime Président de la Société numismatique a Copenhagen... Paris: Alphonse Picard & Fils. Large octavo, x+152+xxx pp.; iv+132+xxviii pp.; t.p.+2+112+xxx+20 pp.

*1927. Essling. Importante collection de monnaies et médailles consulat et empire Napoleon Ier et sa famille Napoleon III médailles historiques et de personnages jetons et décorations français et étrangers appartenant au prince d'Essling dont la vente aura lieu a Paris Hotel Drouot ...juin 1927 commissaire-priseur: M. Léon Andre... experts MM. Feuardent freres M. Jules Florange. Octavo, t.p.+xvi+246 pp. [The last numbered page is 247, but the printer counted pp. xv and xvi as pages 1 and 2.]+68 unbound photolithographic plates.

1932. Julius. Auction ab Montag, den 11. Januar 1932 Otto Helbig Nachf., München Barerstraáe 20 [bar] Sammlung Dr. P. Julius Heidelberg Französische Revolution Napoleon I. und seine Zeit Medaillen, Orden und Ehrenzeichen Mnzen Die Auction erfolgt im Auftrage der Erben zu Gunsten der Wohlfahrtseinrichtung der I.G. Farbenindustrie Aktiengesellschaft mit 58 Lichtdrucktafeln Der besuch der Auktion ist nur Inhabern des Katalogs gestattet [triple bar] Otto Helbig Nachf., München, 1932, Auctionskatalog 66. Large octavo, t.p.+intro+vi+264 pp.+58 photolithographic plates. Note: This sale did not take place; this Julius collection was not sold until 1959.

1959. Sammlung Julius. Französische Revolution, Napoleon I. und seine Zeit. I. Teil 1789-1808. (II. Teil 1809-1815) Auction 66, 21.--23. April 1959 (14.--16. September 1959). Richard Gaettens jun., Heidelberg. Folio, iv+VI+70 pp.+30 halftone plates (IV+66 pp.+29 halftone plates).

1975. Prince Napoléon. Monnaies et médailles napoléoniennes 2e partie importante collection de monnaies et médailles émises en France sous le régne de Napoléon Ier et de Napoléon III comprenant deux cents médailles d'or dont beaucoup inédités et rarissimes, une quantité de monnaies rares de Napoléon Ier et une série importante de monnaies en état de conservation exceptionnel, émise pendant le régne de Napoléon III.[device of International Association of Professional Numismatists] Vente publique 14 ... Banque Leu S.A. Zurich Département numismatique.

Sixty four pp.+6 half-tone plates printed in black and gold+36 half-tone plates in black. Note: Part one of this sale was devoted to coins and medals of Napoleon's relatives.