constanius Posted October 22, 2009 Report Share Posted October 22, 2009 This is a bois durci plaque I posted previously LINK but what is that in the bottom left corner?It is a gold medal by Jean Baptiste Merlen, BHM# 1916 RRRR.(highest rarity in BHM, generally considered as between 1 to 9 examples known) the larger one is 111mm the smaller is only 11mm & 1.1grams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishmoney Posted October 22, 2009 Report Share Posted October 22, 2009 Big, bad, and bronze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted October 22, 2009 Report Share Posted October 22, 2009 Wow! A hard decision. I'd probably go for the gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constanius Posted October 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2009 Big, bad, and bronze Big, bad and blood; Bois durci = oxblood & wood flour(very fine sawdust) pressed under high pressure & heat, looks like ebony. Mind some were copied in metal later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedeadpoint Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 That is OXBLOOD????!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constanius Posted October 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 That is OXBLOOD????!!! These plaques/medallions were sold at the Exposition Universelle of the year 1867. They are 111 mm or 4.3/8 inches. Produced by the Frenchman M. Latry. The "real story" is what they are made from: Animal blood (mainly ox-blood was used) and very fine sawdust, know as wood flour. This blood/wood mixture was pressed in moulds which were then heated, producing a very hard finish which showed fine detail and was very strong. The process was developed by Lepage and Talrich in 1855 and patented under the name BOIS DURCI, later they sold the rights to M. Latry. The objects produced resembled carved ebony, but being mass produced (from basically waste by-products), they were considerably cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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