Lusitania Medal

[ph0ebus]

Hi all,

Came across an antique shoppe and though he did not have the EKII I was hoping he might have he did have a nice copy of the Lusitania Medal we very often see:

What then caught my eye was the OTHER Lusitania medal adjacent to it which I have not seen before:

How rare is this medal? Are there known fakes? Ballpark value?

-Daniel

[27thBN]

Not Sure the other medal first one as a copy about 30 pounds ,Ok as i know which EK2 you are after i will post a nice clear picture both sides.

Regards MC the second medal you are showing is a cracker ,the first on one i have never seen in copper only Iron ones Copy or a real one .

[sutton-in-craven]

I agree, this 2nd Lusitania medal from the USA is a beauty. I've never seen one before.

How much was the antique shop asking for it? They certainly knew how to make medals back then.

[auchonvillerssomme]

There is an internet auction site who has it on with an etimate of £30 - £50, but to be honest I think that because it is rarely seen, if it turned up with a price of £300 it would sell in some areas.

René Baudichon (1878-1963) – French engraver. Began his studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Tours. In 1897 went on to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Amongst his teachers were the masters Vernon and Roty. In 1914 he won a silver medal from the Société des Artistes Français, and a gold medal in 1921.

Heres some info

http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/presc..._num_64_5_85136

[clive_hughes]

The Imperial War Museum Review No.1 of 1986 has an article by Philip Dutton on the various medallions inspired by the sinking of the Lusitania.

The original Goetz 1st issue (5 MAI date) medallion is said to be of "coated iron" with a variable thickness of 2-3mm, and 56.5mm diameter. Numbers cast are unknown, but some 300,000 of the slightly cruder British copy were produced (also in iron, with the exception apparently of a unique gold replica sponsored by Mr Gordon Selfridge and auctioned in London in October 1916 for £300).

Goetz' 2nd issue corrected date (7 MAI) medallions were made in unknown quantity, and are thinner than the original.

Baudichon's medallion is die-struck rather than cast, in bronze 54mm diameter. Numbers not mentioned.

LST_164

[ph0ebus]

The Imperial War Museum Review No.1 of 1986 has an article by Philip Dutton on the various medallions inspired by the sinking of the Lusitania.

The original Goetz 1st issue (5 MAI date) medallion is said to be of "coated iron" with a variable thickness of 2-3mm, and 56.5mm diameter. Numbers cast are unknown, but some 300,000 of the slightly cruder British copy were produced (also in iron, with the exception apparently of a unique gold replica sponsored by Mr Gordon Selfridge and auctioned in London in October 1916 for £300).

Goetz' 2nd issue corrected date (7 MAI) medallions were made in unknown quantity, and are thinner than the original.

Baudichon's medallion is die-struck rather than cast, in bronze 54mm diameter. Numbers not mentioned.

LST_164

Well, I found one medal site that says the following on this medal:

FM7) FRANCE, 54mm bronze, sinking ship & drowning baby, LUSITANIA MAY 7 1915 / Statue of Liberty with sword rising from waves, VLTRIX AMERICA JVRIS 1917 USA 1918, by Baudichon, Paris mint, few tiny marks & edge nicks, AU $325.00 sold

From:

French Medals

Quite a price, but now I am confused...is it French or American?

-Daniel

[auchonvillerssomme]

Its french, my link explains the origin.

[clive_hughes]

The article gives the impression that it is a French piece, celebrating America's role as avenger of the sinking.

LST_164

[ph0ebus]

Found another Lucy Medal I had not seen before:

The Merseyside Maritime Museum has one, and their website gives the following info:

The image above is of a German medallion from a series produced by Walther Eberbach, 1916, called Totentanz (‘Dance of the Dead’). It shows Death as a skeleton looking at the sinking Lusitania.

Turn in your deposit cans, because this one is going to cost you!

Lusitania 'Dance of the Dead' Medal

-Daniel

[clive_hughes]

Dutton's article in post #5 states that Walter Erberbach (b.1866) was fond of using the mediaeval German imagery of Death as personifying war and pestilence.

Death bestrides the sinking vessel, bent as if examining his latest victims. The obverse inscription translates "Malice and forewarned recklessness on board the Lusitania". The reverse says "To Woodrow Wilson the despiser of warnings 1916". This might apply to the "warning" printed before the ship sailed, and equally to the cooling of German-US relations in 1916 as the U-boats sank more US vessels.

This piece is of coated iron 69.5mm diameter, with a slightly raised rim 4mm thick.

LST_164