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Auction: 17003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 121

"Just the small ones"

All my life I experienced my father, beside many things, as an avid collector. One of my liveliest memories is from when I was five with my father disappearing behind the royal-blue panel after breakfast on a Sunday to re-organise his extensive collection. Making room for a prized new acquisition, surely the best reason to collect?

At that time he was strictly focused on the Austrian Monarchy and believe it or not, at one time the collection was complete. Damn narrow field of specialisation!

This was as much the reason to spend more time with me and my mother to find a new field of activity.

Following his Austrian Collection he started with a new one from scratch, with my Mother being very happy to learn that he had switched to "just the small ones". That was until the first cabinets with thousands of drawers were delivered from an auction house; they might be minute but there are so many of them! And this time my father had no restrictions, neither era, nor region. This new collection was his passion and grew until his death in December 2016.

The literal crown jewels and pride of his collection were the miniatures set with diamonds and other precious stones, which we can all appreciate more than simply their material beauty. Their masterly execution mirrored the ideal he pursued throughout his professional life as managing director of J. & L. Lobmeyr's Chandelier Department: the excitement of unparalleled manufacturing in highest quality to the tiniest detail.

Johannes Rath, Vienna


CATALOGUER'S NOTE
When David and I we were first introduced to Stefan's collection through his son Johannes, it was soon clear that the collection was of the highest order. The collection is a testament to the quality of his eye and his un-dividing attention to the building of what must be considered one of the finest collection of world miniatures.

Having travelled to Vienna to hand-carry the precious cargo back to London, I can say in all honestly that the journey and responsibility in cataloguing this collection has been a pleasure. To have seen the historical premises of Lobmeyr, it is no surprise that the family business has flourished for almost 200 years in designing and manufacturing arguably the finest chandeliers and glassware. Having since done a little more research, the family have been commissioned by the Schönbrunn Palace, The King of Belgium and the Duke of Brabant to name but a few! This flare for precision, design and intricacy is reflected throughout Stefan's collection.

Particular items of note include Lots 165, 175 and 292. A personal favourite would have to be Lot 364, a most unusual and likely unique Java Medal in gold.

For those interested in the provenance and coverage of the collection, one must look no further than the Brilliant Miniatures feature which ran in the OMRS Miniature Branch publication Miniature Medals Broadsheet (Issues 90-94) and in Österreichische Gesellschaft für Ordenskunde (The Austrian Orders Research Society), in both cases anonymously 'The Property of a Gentleman'.

These publications encompass some of the finest examples of miniature medal manufacture and stone setting that we have encountered. Besides the bejewelled examples, the collection also covers most nations worldwide, offering opportunities to acquire excessively rare, early and well-constructed Badges.

We trust that the collection will be enjoyed not just by the Miniature Medal community, but that the array of examples will add to the richness of the hobby overall. All at Spink are honoured to offer Part I of the Stefan Rath Collection in this Auction, with Part II being offered in the Spring.

Marcus Budgen



Austria, Empire, Order of the Golden Fleece, 8mm, silver-gilt, the Badge set with 17 chip diamonds, good very fine

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Sold for
£450