British Historical Medals

Lot 3391    Session 11 (9.30am Thursday)    British Historical Medals

Estimate $1,400
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $1,500

PRINCE JAMES (III), the Old Pretender and his sister Princess Louisa silver medal by Norbert Roettier, 1712, 52mm, 54 grams, plain edge, obv. armoured and draped bust of James left, around IACOBVS .D.G. M.B.F ET H REX. N.R. below, rev. bust of Princess Louisa left, around PRINCEPS LVD. SER. M.B. REGIS. SOROR, (Eimer 454a [£1400 in EF]); MI ii 388/241). A rare portrait medal, nearly uncirculated with a blue and grey tone.

Soon after James II’s death in exile, in 1701, his son was recognised as James III, King of England, by France, Spain, the Papal States and Modena, despite the fact that William III occupied the English throne at that time. James (III) lived in France as a guest of Louis XIV, but the War of the Spanish Succession ended with the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, and one of the conditions was that he should be expelled from France. After a failed attempted invasion of Britain, James returned to France, where he remained until his death in 1766. Princess Louisa Maria Teresa Stuart (1692-1712) was the last child of James II. She was born in France at St Germain-en-Laye during her parents’ exile, but died of smallpox aged 19 in 1712, the date of this medal.