Auction Catalogue

11 December 2002

Starting at 12:00 PM

.

English, Scottish and World Coins. Tokens, Tickets and Passes. Historical and Art Medals. World Banknotes

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 773

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11 December 2002

Hammer Price:
£130

France, Général Kleber, 1831, a uniface cast bronze medal by D. d’Angers, bust three-quarters right, head turned to face viewer, 180mm (Reinis 244; BDM I, 527; cf. DNW 44, 809). High relief, extremely fine, rare; with suspension loop on the top (£100-150)

Jean-Baptiste Kleber (1753-1800), French general, born at Strasbourg, initially entered the Austrian army but resigned his commission to return to France. He fought in the Vendéan campaign of 1794 and, under Napoleon, he successfully commanded his division in Syria in 1798-9. In 1799 Kleber’s army of 10,000 defeated 60,000 Turks at Heliopolis, the beginning of the conquest of Egypt. Kleber himself was killed by a Muslim fanatic in Cairo in 1800