Commemorative, Historical and Art Medals

Medals of the Early Colonial Period and the European Heritage, Capture of Pernambuco, Brazil, and other Dutch Victories, 1630, a silver medal by A. van der Wilge, Mars and Victory crown a central bust of Frederik Wilhelm of Nassau-Orange, s’Hertogenbosch in cartouche below, rev. heraldic Dutch lion and supporters, ornate cartouches of Grol, Wesel, Pernambuco and the capture of the Spanish silver fleet in Matanzas Bay, Cuba in cartouches, 68mm, 58.44g (van Loon II, 190; Betts 31; KPK 610; MH 523). About extremely fine, toned £3,000-4,000

Provenance: An Important Group of Medals of the Low Countries, Sotheby Auction, 30-1 March 1995, lot 791.

Following the success of the capture of the silver fleet at Matanzas Bay, Pernambuco was then captured by ships of the Dutch West India Company under the command of Hendrik Lonken and a few Dutch men-of-war under Dirk Waardenburg. A successful campaign followed up the coast of Brazil, giving the Dutch total command of the seas in that region. Pernambuco was recaptured by the Portuguese in 1654 and the Dutch never regained their control