364, Lot: 356. Estimate $300. Sold for $450. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ITALY. Francesco Querini (died 1563). Æ Medal (35mm, 26.99 g, 12h). By Giovanni da Cavino, circa 1540-1550. Draped bust of Querini right / PERPETVA SOBOLES (“unbroken lineage”), she-wolf right, suckling the twins Remus and Romulus. Attwood 284; Johnson & Martini 1192-4. Good VF, brown patina. An early cast.

From the RBW Collection. Ex Nomos 5 (25 October 2011), lot 18; Künker 1414 (19 June 2008), lot 4409; Baldwin’s 39 (11 October 2004), lot 1944.

Francesco Querini was a prominent patrician, soldier and poet of Venice. Interestingly, this medal type was originally produced with the obverse legend FRANC QVIRINVS (see Attwood 283; Kress 396; Pollard (NGA) 452). The obverse legend was erased at some point and, on a seemingly unique specimen (Rosenheim, Sotheby’s, 30 April 1923, lot 140) the name of Allessandro Medici, to whom Francesco bore a resemblance, was added in place of Francesco’s.

The reverse of this piece refers to the Querini family’s fantastic claim to have descended from Romulus.