PRINTING. FINE BRONZE MEDALLIC PORTRAIT OF JOHANN GUTENBERG, by Léon Julien Deschamps, obverse depicting Gutenberg against a decorative background, bust in profile facing left, lettered round 'Jean Gutenberg inventeur l'imprimerie ne en 1400 mort en 1468', signed Leon Deschamps beneath the truncation, reverse a hand printing press dated 'MC[reverse C]XLI' with Gutenberg's initials, lettered above in the field 'La lumiere fut', pages hanging from the press, an open book leaning on the base, fronds behind, c. 3 inches in diameter (75 mm), stamped 'bronze' on the rim, 'Biographical Dictionary of Medallists', vii, p. 217, good colour and patination, extremely fine [1906]

This medal is said to date from 1906 (Forrer, Biographical Dictionary of Medallists) although the obverse is said to have been completed in 1899 ostensibly for the 500th anniversary of Gutenberg's birth. Forrer describes Deschampes as ranking 'foremost amongst modern medallists.'

£500