British and World Coins. Tokens and Historical Medals

Medals Related to Music, Germany, Richard Wagner, 1904, a bronze plaque by O. Yencesse, half-length figure left, seated in chair, reverse view of the Festspielhaus, BAYREUTH, 55 x 42mm (Niggl 2263; Coll. R. Marx 155; BM Acq. 1978-82, pl.51, 208; BDM VI, 695; A.u.E. 965). Softly worked, minor edge nicks at two corners, otherwise very fine, rare (£30-40)

Richard Wagner (1813-83), the greatest composer of German opera, chose a hill above Bayreuth as the site for his Festspielhaus, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1872. The festival theatre opened in August 1876 and Wagner’s Parsifal, written especially for the venue, was first performed there in 1882