ONLY 1 OTHER LISTED ON INTERNET @ $5,000.00! GIANT CLEARANCE SALE! EVERYTHING MUST GO!!!   SEE MY OTHER ITEMS OR YOULL BE SORRY! CLICK BELOW, SOME ARE ENDING SOON! http://stores.ebay.com/THE-WORD-Antiquarian-Books     $$$ EXTREMELY RARE & VALUABLE $$$ ORIGINAL 1777 LARGE TERRACOTTA MEDALLION OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BY THE FAMOUS JEAN BAPTISTE NINI! ONLY 1 OTHER LISTED ON INTERNET @ $5,000.00!   1777 Circular terracotta medallion with border, 4 1/2 inches in diameter, made by Jean Baptiste Nini most likely in Paris. IN VERY GOOD CONDITION!!! Jean Baptiste Nini's famous Franklin terracotta medallion, showing the Founding Father in relief with his trademark fur cap but without his spectacles. The mark, "NINI F 1777," with crest, appears beneath the image. Nini, a Paris-based Italian sculptor, was commissioned to create the medallions by Jacques Donatien Le Ray de Chaumont, a prominent businessman and American sympathizer, whose portrait Nini had rendered in similar style in 1771. Presumably pleased with his prior purchase, Chaumont sent Nini a profile drawing of Franklin by the twenty-two year old son of Thomas Walpole, an English banker. It has been suggested that Nini added the fur hat, a look that Franklin made his trademark in Paris. The medallion was issued at the apex of Franklin's popularity in France. After his public embarrassment at the hands of Alexander Weddeburn, the British Solicitor- General, who accused Franklin of being a thief for his role in publishing the infamous Hutchinson letters in 1775, by October, 1776, Franklin had resumed his diplomatic service abroad, this time in Paris. In early 1777, Franklin achieved his greatest diplomatic success -- the promise of French assistance in the war against Great Britain. By 1778, Franklin was selected by Congress to be the sole minister plenipotentiary, and was clearly the United States' lead representative to France. Franklin became an instant celebrity in Paris. He enjoyed cordial relations with Louis XV, Voltaire, and much of the Parisian aristocracy, as well as great popularity with the lower classes referred to John Adams as, "plebeians." His likeness was painted, engraved, and sculpted numerous times. Contemporary European reproductions of Franklin's image often show him, as here, with one or both of his trademark accessories: a fur hat and glasses. Among these many likenesses, Nini's medallion was extremely popular and responsible for cementing Franklin's image in the public mind. This high relief medallion of Franklin is made of Terra Cotta (ceramic clay). It was produced in France by the sculptor, Jean-Baptiste Nini during the height of Franklin's popularity there. Nini made a variety of different Franklin medallions in terra cotta for sale in both France and America. This variety has Franklin wearing his fur cap with the inscription, "B. Franklin - Americain." Nini has signed and dated the truncation of Franklin's bust, and added his arms as well. This medallion is a pleasing fired clay light brown in color and includes an original string loop for hanging on display! Minute soiling, old thin hairline crack professionally and invisibly repaired. In the John Ford Jr. sale a terra cotta plaque by Nini sold for $5,750! An impressive, contemporary French tribute portrait of this always popular, Benjamin Franklin American statesman to France. Jean-Baptiste Nini (1717-1786) was a French artist and medalist active in the mid to late 1700's. Most of his work consists of terra-cotta medallions. Forrer recounts in "Biographical Dictionary of Medallists" that several hundred of Nini's Benjamin Franklin terra-cotta medallions (in various designs) were shipped to America in 1779, but the ship was wrecked off the coast of France. Only a few of the cases containing the medallions were recovered, but they lay forgotten in a warehouse for nearly a century, until they were finally acquired by a collector who began marketing them in 1876.   ONLY 1 OTHER LISTED ON INTERNET @ $5,000.00! $$$ EXTREMELY RARE & VALUABLE $$$ ASTRONOMICALLY RARE & SCARCE!!! MANY PICTURES BELOW . .   TERMS: PAYPAL. Insurance is available up to $5,000 for Priority Mail and up to $25,000 for Registered Mail in the United States only. All Items must have Insurance paid for by the buyer. All funds must be paid within 7 days. Insurance claims are the responsibility of the buyer and copies of insurance slips will be provided upon request. We are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items. All coins and antiques are sold as is as seen. If you have any questions please email me and I iwll try to answer them.   SEE MY OTHER ITEMS OR YOULL BE SORRY! CLICK BELOW, SOME ARE ENDING SOON! http://stores.ebay.com/THE-WORD-Antiquarian-Books

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