Ancient, British and World Coins, Historical Medals and Tokens

Italy, Venice, Ninth Meeting of Italian Scientists, Venice, 1847, bronze medal by Antonio Fabris, head of Marco Polo right, reverse building, 57mm. Better than very fine but somewhat mishandled, with bump to obverse rim (£15-20)

Antonio Fabris, engraver at the Venice Mint c. 1827 to 1856: among his coins are the Five-Lire pieces issued by the Provisional Government of the Venetian Republic during the 1848 Revolution against Austrian rule. “The work of Fabris” Forrer states “is characterised by great purity of design allied with extreme delicacy of execution.” There do not appear to be a great number of medals portraying the great explorer Marco Polo, Forrer only notes two, both made much later.