The Silich Collection of Historical and Art Medals (Part I)

FRANCE, Inauguration de la Raffinerie Standard Franco-Americaine, Port Jerôme, 1934, a cast bronze Art Déco award plaque by G. Miklos, view of the oil refinery, rev. standing helmeted figure appearing out of the flame, named (L. Brindeau), edge impressed bronze and with foundry mark, 115 x 64mm, 407.41g (cf. BDW 66, 1551). An astoundingly powerful Art Déco work, extremely fine and very rare £600-£800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Silich Collection of Historical and Art Medals.

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The Port Jérôme oil refinery on the banks of the river Seine at Notre-Dame-de-Gravenchon, completed in May 1933 and inaugurated in 1934, was the first in Europe to employ the process of purifying lubricating oils using phenol. The refinery was linked to the port of Le Havre, where oil tankers landed, by a 35km pipeline. In 1940 the refinery was partly destroyed, but it was rebuilt after the War.