William III

William III, the Battle of Landen [Neerwinden], Dutch gilt-silver medal, 1693, by Jan Boskam, armoured bust of William right, in high relief, hair long, mantle around shoulders, INVICTISSIMVS GVILLELMVS MAG, rev., falcon flying, pounces on a heron, landscape with battle beyond, FORTI SIC VICTOR VINCITVR ART, 59.5mm (MI 86/303; vL IV, 140). Good very fine, a few light edge bruises, the gilding original, very rare.

The medal has a superb portrait, previously used the previous year on a medal commemorating the execution of the Chevalier de Grandval for his plans to assassinate William III. The Battle of Landen, in Brabant, fought on the 29 July, 1693, was by far more a victory for the French commanded by the Marshal Luxembourg than for William. The losses for the allied armies are given as 19,000 men as against 9,000 French.

Provenance: Baldwin Auction, 5 May, 2010 (lot 1017).