Item number: M387

Year: AD 1905

Material: Bronze

Size: 60.0 x 60.0 mm

Manufactured by: A. Werner & Söhne Company, Berlin

Provenance: Stack’s Bowers 2024

This is a bronze commemorative medal created in AD 1905 to honour the passing of the renowned geologist Ferdinand von Richthofen (AD 1833–1905). It was designed by Ferdinand Theodor Martin Schauß and issued by the A. Werner & Söhne company in Berlin.

The obverse of the circular medal features a right-facing portrait of Richthofen, encircled by the inscription “✽ 5-5-1833 + 6·10·1905· FERDINAND VON RICHTHOFEN.” The dates “5-5-1833” and “6·10·1905” mark Richthofen’s birth and death, respectively, while “FERDINAND VON RICHTHOFEN” refers to his full name. Below the neckline of the portrait is the signature of the engraver, “Martin Schauß.”

The reverse of the medal prominently displays a Chinese mythological creature, the bixi, carrying a stelae on its back. The inscription “CHINA” on the stelae symbolises Richthofen’s contributions to geological research in China, and it may also allude to his seminal work, China: The Results of My Travels and the Studies Based Thereon. In the background, the Great Wall of China is depicted. Along the lower-right edge of the medal, the small text “WERNER SÖHNE BERLIN 13” identifies A. Werner & Söhne as the issuer of the medal.

The commemorative medal exhibits clear details and excellent craftsmanship, with even the underlying bone structure beneath the figure’s skin faintly discernible. Ferdinand von Richthofen was a distinguished German geographer, explorer, and geologist, renowned for his pioneering research on China. He is credited with coining the term “Silk Road” (or Seidenstraße). During several expeditions in the 19th century, he conducted detailed geological and geographical surveys across China. His research spanned China’s natural geography, mineral resources, and transportation networks, introducing the country’s geographic and economic landscape to European academia. His magnum opus, China, laid a significant foundation for subsequent studies and exerted a profound influence on later scholars.

物件編號: M387

年代: 公元 1905 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 60.0 x 60.0 mm

製造地: 維爾納公司，柏林

來源: SBP錢幣拍賣 2024

這是一枚青銅紀念章，於公元1905年，為紀念該年逝世的著名地質學家斐迪南·馮·李希霍芬(Ferdinand von Richthofen)，由費迪南德·西奧多·馬丁·紹斯(Ferdinand Theodor Martin Schauß)製作，並由位於柏林的維爾納公司(A. Werner & Söhne)發行。

圓形紀念章的正面為李希霍芬的頭像，面向右側。環繞邊緣的是「✽ 5-5-1833 + 6·10·1905· FERDINAND VON RICHTHOFEN」。 「5-5-1833」至「6·10·1905」為李希霍芬的生卒年，「FERDINAND VON RICHTHOFEN 」為全名「斐迪南·馮·李希霍芬」。頭像後頸處「Martin Schauß 」則是雕刻師馬丁·紹斯的署名。

紀念章的背面中央則是背負石碑的中國神獸「贔屭」，石碑上的「CHINA」代表了其在中國地質研究中的貢獻，也可能是其代表作《China: The results of my travels and the studies based thereon》，背景則為中國長城。右下方邊緣的小字「WERNER SÖHNE BERLIN 13」則為該紀念章的發行者維爾納公司。

該紀念章細節清晰，做工良好，人物皮膚下的骨骼都依稀可辨。

李希霍芬是德國著名的地理學家、探險家和地質學家。他以對中國的研究而聞名，並首次提出了「絲綢之路」這一術語。在公元19世紀的幾次探險中，他深入中國多地，進行了地質與地理的詳細調查。他的研究涵蓋中國的自然地理、礦產資源和交通路線，並將中國介紹給歐洲的學術界。他的著作《China》為中國的地理與經濟學研究奠定了重要基礎，對後世學者的研究影響深遠。