Federigo da Montefeltro (1422-1485)

Federigo da Montefeltro (1422-1485), Count 1444-1472, Duke of Urbino 1472-1482, elected a Knight of the Garter, large cast bronze medal, attributed to Pietro Torregiano, bust of Federigo left wearing doublet, legend around, motto in gothic lettering within Garter, "hony soyt qy mal y pense", rev., five winged genii support a platform on which a crowned eagle supports the Duke's arms between two cornucopias, FE - DVX, 113mm (MI 16/1; Armand II, 36, 30; Pollard [2007] 342; Pollard, Bargello II, 1376; Hill, Corpus, 1118; Johnson-Martini [1986] 123, 551; Scholten 76;). An early cast of this historically important medal, very fine with dark patination, extremely rare.

Pietro Torregiano (1472-1528), is known as a sculptor and best remembered for, in 1491, punching Michaelangelo in the face and breaking his nose. He was in England from 1503-1519 during which time he made a superb bas-relief roundel of Sir Thomas Lovell, now in Westminster Abbey, in which the bust of the sitter is encircled by a Garter in a style whilst similar to this medal, is of a superior quality. Most recently Frits Scholten (2011), attributes Lehman's medal to "Follower of Antonio Averlino, called Filarete (c. 1400-1469). The prototypes of the design, both showing four putti on the reverse, could be a gold Solidus of Constantine the Great, struck in 316 at Ticenum (Maria Alfoldi, Die Constantinische Goldprägung, Mainz, 1963, no. 91; Patrick Bruun, Roman Imperial Coinage, London, 1966, vol VII, 366, nos. 41-42), or a gold medal of Licinius II (Alfodi, 108).

Of the 19 Knights appointed during the reign of Edward IV, two others were Italian, Ferdinand II, King of Sicily and Aragon and Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, whilst a third foreigner was João II, King of Portugal.

Hill records 4 examples and details of up to a further five specimens. Since Hill a further four or five specimens have been recorded. That in the Heberden Coin Room of the Ashmolean Musem is currently on view.

An image of the obverse of this medal forms the frontispiece to Medallic Illustrations, vol. I [1885] and it is fitting that a specimen of it is offered in Christopher Foley's collection. See lot 582 for the medal that is the frontispiece to vol. II.

Provenance: Bt. R. Falkiner, Autumn 2000; ex Münzen und Médaillen, Basel