1779 Benjamin Franklin Portrait Medallion Mold. Bare Head Right, incuse; Latin Legend, incuse. By Jean-Baptiste Nini. Margolis-25M, Baiardi-Sibille 97M, Greenslet GM-7, for type, Storelli-LXVIII, for type Villers-46, for type. Terracotta.

176 mm; approximately 28.2 mm at the edge. 1.274 kilograms. Obverse with raised retrograde signature and date I. B. / NINI F. / 1778 on rightmost truncation; coat of arms on left truncation. Retrograde, incuse secondary signature and date NINI F 1779 below, in relief. Incuse, retrograde inscription ERIPUIT COELO FULMEN SCEPTRUMQUE TIRANNIS around, separated by alternating lightning rods, lightning bolts and the two combined. With incuse plain self-framing border. Edge bound with textile cording as seen on some other surviving molds. Most likely, this was a buffer between this mold and the opposing structure, intended to protect the terracotta mold from breakage when making the impression. This mold would have originally been affixed to a limestone block. That has been removed, but to no detriment of the mold itself. An amazing survivor from Nini's 18th-century pottery works at the Château de Chaumont, an object undoubtedly prepared by Jean Baptiste Nini directly. Whether by him or workers under his direction, this was utilized to produce remarkable grand module portrait medallions of Franklin in 1779, including the one offered in the previous lot. While the medallions are rare today, some number were made, so the few that are known today represent a rate of survival. The original mold for each variant would be unique and the survival of that singular piece of the process for comfortably more than two centuries is almost astounding. This is the only example of a mold from Nini's shop we have handled. When molding and firing earthenware, shrinkage between the unfired and fired products is expected, generally close to 10%, though the rate would depend upon several factors in the process and thus be variable. A study of shrinkage rates for Nini's terracotta medallions undertaken by the present writer from known surviving molds and medallions suggest an average shrinkage of about 9%, but the data ranges from about 6% to 12%. The rate measured between this mold and the medallion in the previous lot is 7.5%. Smooth light brown surfaces with some obvious wear and handling, most of which is likely from its original use at Chaumont. It is clear this mold has been somewhat carefully preserved as, at the very least, the textile cording would be lost. One small chip from the rim is noted but does not impact the designs. A couple of small rim chips are similarly noted on the back. As noted elsewhere in these listings, Nini's precise process is not known, but it seems to have included multiple steps from the original models to the final medallions. This mold represents the last step in the transfer of the design, though it is presumed that some direct retouching of the leather hard medallions might have been done prior to firing. This is plated in both Margolis' Benjamin Franklin in Terra Cotta, on page 115, and in the Baiardi-Sibille reference on page 218. According to Margolis, it was also "described [and plated] in 1869 by the Marquis de Méloizes as: 'Tête de vieillard, à l'antique. Magnifique portrait de Franklin' or head of an old man in antique style. Magnificent portrait of Franklin."

From the Richard Margolis Collection. Earlier from Nouveau Drouot's sale of Meubles et Objets d'Art (Paris), May 21, 1986; François et Rodolphe Chamonal (dealers in rare books, Paris), October 1988.

Estimate: $5000