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Auction: 23126 - Spink Numismatic e-Circular 30: English and World Coins and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 9483

(x) Belgium, To The Heroes Who Died For The Patris, AE Medallion, c. 1915, by René Lalique, Victory holding sword, crowns a dead soldier, rev. AUX HEROS MORTS POUR LA PATRIS, L'AVENIR JAILLIT D' ENTRE LE REPOS DESMORTS CSE DE NOAILLES in six lines, 28mm, 9.41g, a handful of light contact marks, some damage to the gilt on the suspension ring, otherwise about extremely fine; France, Journee du Poilu, AE Uniface Pin Badge, 1915, by René Lalique, soldier grasps an eagle by the neck, JOURNEE DU POILU below, 34mm x 34mm, 9.85g, a most handsome art nouveau design by the renowned French jeweller Lalique, extremely fine; France, Joseph Joffre, Battle of La Marne, AR Medallion, c. 1914, uniformed bust facing, rev. LA MARNE 4 - IX - 1914 H FAUT TENIR JOFFRE, 31mm, 12.18g, some staining to the reverse, otherwise extremely fine, mounted for suspension (3)

The Journee du Poilu pin badges were sold to raise funds in France for the war effort. The direct translation of Poilu is 'the hairy one'. The phrase came to be used as a nickname for regular French infantryman during the First World War, in the same way the name 'Tommy' became synonymous with British soldiers. The word carries the sense of the infantryman's typically rustic, agricultural background, and derives from the bushy moustaches many French soldiers grew.

René Lalique (1860-1945) was a French jeweller, medallist, and glass designer known for his creations of glass art, perfume bottles, vases, jewellery, chandeliers, clocks, and automobile hood ornaments.



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