Dublin Society, Sir Charles Giesecke, 1817, a copper medal by W. Mossop, bust right, rev. polar bear on ice floe, 43mm (BHM 953; BDM IV, 172; cf. DNW 30, 855). Good very fine, extremely rare £300-£400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Irish Historical Medals, the Property of a Gentleman.

View
Collection

Provenance: DNW Auction M1, 15 December 2005, lot 1443.

Karl Ludwig Giesecke (1761-1833), aka Sir Charles Giesecke, spent a number of years in Greenland gathering minerals. Whilst returning to England his ship was captured by a Danish brig which in turn was captured by a British vessel and brought to Leith. The mineral collection was sold in Edinburgh, part being purchased by the Dublin Society. To make some amends for the loss of his collection and its purchase by the Society, Giesecke was appointed professor of Mineralogy and director of the museum, during which time the Society ordered this medal in recognition of his services. The Giesecke collection is now housed at Trinity College, Dublin