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Stack’s Bowers Collectors Choice Auction Features the Timeless Medals of Erik Lindberg

Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice Auction Features the Timeless Medals of Erik Lindberg

By Jeremy BostwickSenior Numismatist & Cataloger, Stack’s Bowers ……
In the world of medallic art, France may come to mind for its association with some of the most skilled and elegant craftsmen and their work, especially during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Any survey of medals and coins from this period will show the beauty that the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements provided to the numismatic scene.

However, production of artistic medals was not limited to France.

Although Sweden is not as often represented in collections and literature devoted to numismatic art, it is not due to a lack of exceptional material produced by incredible sculptor/engravers. One such artist was Johan Lindberg, most commonly known by his middle name, Erik.

Born in Stockholm on the final day of 1873, Erik grew up with an artistic presence, as his father, Johan Adolph, was a famous sculptor and engraver of medals, even serving as a professor at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts. Focused intently upon his craft, Erik split most of the 1890s training at his father’s studio and studying at the Academy. Following his graduation from the Academy, he earned a scholarship for study in Paris where he was greatly influenced by the styles of such luminaries as Louis-Oscar Roty and Jules-Clément Chaplain.

It was during this period that he was tasked with the creation of the medals to be awarded for the newly established Nobel Prizes, one of the first of his numismatic contributions. While the reverse designs of these majestic medals vary based upon the subject matter celebrated, the obverses all display the same classical rendition of Alfred Nobel, the creator of the trust used to finance the prizes. Outside of the Peace Prize, presented instead in Oslo, and the Economics Prize, created much later by the Sveriges Riksbank, Lindberg’s renditions continue to be used for the prize medals as well as the medals presented to the nominating committees.

Though the actual prize medals are almost never encountered in the market, the nominating medals do appear at auction and have become quite popular as they are generally as close as one can realistically get to an actual prize medal.

Lindberg’s medallic portfolio doesn’t end at the Nobel Prize and Nominating Committee medals, as he actively produced some of the most elegant and expressive medals of the period, even designing some of the circulating gold denominations for the Swedish Mint. His style presents a strong background in Art Nouveau, yet also offers hints of Art Deco and a definitive nod to the reinvigorated allure of Neoclassicism. During the first half of the 20th century, he created a wealth of timeless pieces for the collector of fine medallic art that is still rather unexplored by the community.

Our June Collectors Choice Online (CCO) auction offers a number of Nobel medals from various years relating to the nominating committee on Medicine, as well as an iconic silver medal for Alfred Nobel himself on the 30th anniversary of his death in 1926. On this rather rare piece, Lindberg’s unique style is on full display, with a representation of Athena/Minerva spearing a three-headed serpentine hydra. Discover these wonderfully classic and distinguishing works by one of medallic art’s lesser-mentioned master engraver/sculptors in our CCO today.

To view our upcoming auction schedule and future offerings, please visit StacksBowers.com where you may register and participate in this and other forthcoming sales.

We are always seeking coins, medals, and paper money for our future sales, and are currently accepting submissions for our Official Auction of the Hong Kong Show taking place in October, and our Official Auction of the January 2021 N.Y.I.N.C. Our next CCO (Collectors Choice Online) auction will be in June, with another following in October (for which the consignment deadline is September 8). If you would like to learn more about consigning, whether a singular item or an entire collection, please contact one of our consignment directors today and we will assist you in achieving the best possible return on your material.

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NGC Photo Vision Images Now Available at StacksBowers.com

Did you know Stack’s Bowers Galleries has teamed up with NGC to feature NGC Photo Vision images on the Stack’s Bowers website alongside our own award-winning photographs? NGC Photo Vision images are now available on all lot descriptions (for coins that have them) in our June 2020 Auction featuring the Francesca Collection of United States Gold Coins and all auctions moving forward at StacksBowers.com.

Stack’s Bowers Galleries is proud to offer all the information you need to bid with confidence on items in our auctions. Experience our award-winning website and online auction catalogs today at StacksBowers.com. There you can view our detailed descriptions and high resolution images as well as access population data and price guides including Previous Prices Realized. Make sure you create a free account and log in to take advantage of these features.

Stack's Bowers
Stack's Bowershttps://stacksbowers.com/
Stack's Bowers Galleries conducts live, internet, and specialized auctions of rare U.S. and world coins and currency and ancient coins, as well as direct sales through retail and wholesale channels. The company's 90-year legacy includes the cataloging and sale of many of the most valuable United States coin and currency collections to ever cross an auction block — The D. Brent Pogue Collection, The John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, The Joel R. Anderson Collection, The Norweb Collection, The Cardinal Collection, The Sydney F. Martin Collection, and The Battle Born Collection — to name just a few. World coin and currency collections include The Pinnacle Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection of World Gold Coins, The Kroisos Collection, The Alicia and Sidney Belzberg Collection, The Salton Collection, The Wa She Wong Collection, and The Thos. H. Law Collection. The company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California with galleries in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. Offices are also located in New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, Hong Kong, Paris, and Vancouver.

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