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Auction: 19020 - British and World Historic and Commemorative Medals and Tokens: e-Auction 3
Lot: 155

Lucy Lewis and John Gough Nichols, Silver Wedding Anniversary, 1868, AR Medal, by L C Wyon, 47mm. (BHM 2892), beautifully toned, virtually as struck, rare, particularly so in this metal

Dr Leibfried collection


John Gough Nichols was born in 1806 in Fleet Street, the third generation of a printing and antiquarian family. In 1811, he was educated at Miss Roper's school house in Islington, a contemporary, albeit 18 months his senior, was future Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. He completed his education between 1817 and 1823 at Merchant Taylor's School, Herts before returning to the counting house of his father and grandfather's business. In 1830 he made a tour of Scotland befriending Robert Surtees, with whom he would go on to found the Surtees Society in 1834, whereupon he would act as its first Treasurer. He would later become a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, committee member of the Royal Literary Fund and founding member of the Camden Society.



The portrait sketch of John Gough Nichols and a subsequent rendering for Lucy as a studyfor this medal is contained within a folio of works housed at the British Museum (ref. BM 2012.7076.58 and 59 - https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3489734&partId=1). The final product was much lauded by contemporaries, with the numismatist Richard Sainthill writing in the Art Journal in January 1869: "Fortunately for the artist, his originals presented a striking contrast, of which he has made the most. Quiescent loveliness and living energy: the broad, smooth brow, topped with its silken shading, relieving the slightly lined forehead, deep-set eye, massy clustered locks and heavy moustache, are all realised in their varied shades with the highest artistic ability". Wyon's papers further reveal that his charge for this commission was £52.10.0.

For further reading:, cf. Philip Attwood, "A Group of Drawings by Leonard Wyon", ‘The Medal’ 31, 1997.

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