News from Spink

Drawings, Drawing Instruments, Wax Models, Pattern Coins and Medals from the Wyon Family

The Property of a Lady

The auction during Coinex week will include a collection of items relating to the Wyon family which has come by direct descent to the present owner via Sir William Castle Cleary, the grandson of Leonard Wyon.

The group includes several wax models on slate for medals and a cabinet containing 19 specimen strikings in bronze of medals by William Wyon, some of which were officially only issued in silver, four pattern Crowns also by William Wyon, and other wax models and three drawings by Leonard Wyon.

William Wyon (1795-1851), the most famous of England’s largest and most successful family of engravers, was considered by many of his contemporaries to be the best die engraver of his day.  He was championed by Edward Hawkins, Richard Sainthill (author of Olla Podrida), and W.W.Wroth, who contributed the entry on Wyon in the Dictionary of National Biography.  Sainthill praises Wyon ‘as an engraver of medals who will stand hereafter in our English order of merit immediately after Thomas Simon.  He may not have equalled Simon, but he has surpassed Briot, the Roettiers, Rawlins, Blondeau, Croker, Tanner, Pingo, and Pistrucci.’

His portrait of the young Queen Victoria was universally admired.  The wax model to be offered in the September auction is numismatically very important and is of the greatest historical interest.  For some years this model has formed the centerpiece in the British Museum’s display of Victoria’s coinage with the caption ‘Wax Study of Queen Victoria’s ‘young head’ portrait by William Wyon, c.1837. The reducing machine cut the punches for Victoria’s coinage from a version of this portrait’  An impression from this same Wax Model is illustrated in Forrer (vol.VI, p.655), with the caption ‘Impression from Wax Model by William Wyon of Queen Victoria’s head for the obverse of the British Imperial gold, silver and copper coinage issued for currency’

Among the other wax models by William Wyon is a very delicate depiction of a flying Victory holding wreaths in her right hand and a Union flag in her left.  This was chosen as the reverse design for the Jellalabad Medal 1841-42.  A rather plain medal had already been designed and struck at the Calcutta mint, to celebrate the heroic defence of Jellalabad in Afghanistan, 12 November 1841-7 April 1842.  This medal had been produced and distributed by November 1842, a very prompt service by any standards, but it was deemed unsuitable.  A second, more artistic, medal, with Wyon’s head of young Queen Victoria on the obverse and this flying Victory on the reverse was issued in London, and a free exchange was offered to those who had already received the first type.  Bronze specimen strikings of this and other campaign medals by William Wyon are also included in the sale.

Another wax model depicting a winged Victory is for a medal commemorating Admiral Lord Nelson.  Victory, holding a victor’s palm in her left hand, stands before a Naval Column, and crowns a bust of Nelson with a wreath.  The column is inscribed with the names Duncan, St Vincent, and Howe.  There is the faintest trace of the legend PALMAM QUI MERUIT FERAT around.  Another wax model for a medal with a naval theme shows Britannia with helmet, trident and Union shield, standing in front of the prow of a ship of war.  The date 1830 is faintly inscribed in the exergue.  We have not seen any evidence that these designs were taken beyond the model stage.

The four silver pattern coins, while by no means unique, are of great interest because of their cast iron provenance.  They are displayed with a silver Art Union Medal of 1854 (with the portrait of William Wyon, by Leonard Wyon, as the obverse), in a display case made by Spink. The case has an ivory label on the back ‘Spink and Son Ltd. Medallists to H.M. the King, London, case no.00639‘.  Made for William Castle Cleary (1876-1971), the grandson of William Wyon, the display contains coins that were in the Wyon family and have not been on the open market.

1 George III Pattern Crown 1817, the ‘Three Graces’

2 William IV, Crown 1831, WW incuse on truncation, plain edge

3 Victoria, Crown 1845, plain edge

4 Victoria, Gothic Crown 1847, UNDECIMO

The wax models by Leonard Charles Wyon are also of great interest, and are again superb works of art in their own right.  The largest is the very beautiful design for the reverse of the Prize Medal for the Great Exhibition of 1851.  Britannia, her trident, helmet, and the Union shield at her side, is seated and bending forward, crowning with one hand and raising with the other, a kneeling figure of Industry, who is presented by four standing female figures, America, Africa, Asia and Europe.  The skill and delicacy of the modeling particularly of the four standing figures is remarkable.  This was a very important commission for Leonard Wyon and he clearly went to great pains to produce a masterpiece.  It is no surprise that this model was framed and treasured.  The large medal was awarded to exhibitors and also was presented in special sets, and approximately 3,000 were presented.  The obverse and reverse dies are now in the Victoria and Albert Museum. 

The smallest of the wax models is a charming profile portrait of H.R.H. Prince Arthur, dated 1850.  Leonard Wyon made portraits of the seven royal Princes and Princesses all dated 1850.  The portraits of The Prince of Wales, The Princess Royal, Princess Alice and Princess Helena are all dated August 1850, while those of Prince Arthur and Princess Louise are dated September 1850.  The seventh portrait, of Prince Alfred, is also dated 1850 but no month is given.  Prince Arthur (1850-1942), Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, was born on 1 May 1850 and so was less than four months old when he ‘sat’ for his first portrait.  The wax models for the other Royal children are now in the British Museum.

The three drawings by Leonard Wyon are all portraits of young girls.  One, in black, white and red chalk on grey paper, is dated March 1 1873, and the sitter is identified on the back of the frame ‘Bertha Wyon, aged 5’.  This portrait is similar to others of Wyon’s daughters and his wife from the same period.  The other portraits are not identified, but both correspond with other known portraits by Wyon.

The collection also included sets of drawing instruments, including a fine set belonging to L.C.Wyon with his name plate on the lid, and also five plaster portraits, from the famous shop of G Eichler at Unter den Linden 27, in Berlin, including two very fine but little known contemporary portraits of William and Leonard Wyon both signed on the truncation by the Prussian Royal Court and First Mint Medallist Wilhelm Kullrich.  Finally the collection includes the Portuguese Order of Christ awarded to William Wyon for his work for the Portuguese government. The items will all be included in our auction during Coinex week in London on 27 September.

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Spink is the world’s leading auctioneer of coins, stamps, medals and banknotes.  Since its foundation in 1666, the Spink name has become synonymous with tradition, experience and integrity. Holders of three royal warrants and numerous records for prices achieved at auction, Spink offer an unparalleled range of services to collectors worldwide.  Spink is headquartered in London and hold over 35 auctions a year around the globe.  In June 2006 Spink shattered the world record for a British Coin sold at auction with the sale of the Double Leopard Gold Coin for a staggering £460,000.

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