Attributed to Pierre Regnier (1577-1640) French, 1635

with three bands of inscriptions: GENERATIO. ET. GENERATIO. LAVDABIT. OPERA. TVA. ET. POTENTIAM. TVAM. PRONVNTIABVNT. PSA. CXLIV. +. and: LVD . I . XIII . DEI . G. G . ET . N . REGE . R . A . D . I . 6 . 3 . 3 and: MAGNIFICENTIAM. GLORIAE SANCTITATIS. TVAE. LOQVENTVER. ET. MIRABILIA. TVA. NARRABVNT.

Christie's London, 9 December 2004, The Property of a Lady, lot 21

Overall the condition of the bronze is good with dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are two small mount holes to the upper edge. A section of the lower edge is lost and a section reattached; there are some fissures here, as well as a small hole (probably for mounting). There are various small nicks to the metal, notably one to the neck and to the edges and high points. The outer edge is a little warped. There is some minor greening and dirt to the crevices.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The central inscription on this portrait medallion of King Louis XIII of France translates as: In the reign of Louis XIII, by the grace of God King of France and Navarre, the year of our Lord 1635. Such an inscription might suggest that the medallion, which appears to be the only known example, commemorates an event, possibly the signing of the Treaty of Compiègne in 1635, when France agreed to join the Thirty Years War on the side of Sweden. The present medallion is very close to a number of medals attributed to Pierre Regnier, who ran the Monnaie du Moulin (the French royal mint) under Louis XIII. It has been struck, which adds credence to the attribution to a prominent medallist. The outer and inner inscriptions are taken from verses four and five of Psalm 145 in the King James Bible.

RELATED LITERATURE
M. Jones, A Catalogue of the French Medals in the British Museum 1600-1672, London, 1988, vol. ii, nos. 95-97, 111-112