A Guide to the Exhibition of English Medals — John Shaqi
A Guide to the Exhibition of English MedalsBritish Museum. Department of Coins and Medals
History
A Guide to the Exhibition of English Medals
British Museum. Department of Coins and Medals
Medals -- Great Britain
[13] The head of the Roettier family "the family of Medallists" was
one John Roettier a native of Antwerp and a goldsmith by profession,
who had three sons, John, Joseph, and Philip. During the residence of
Charles II. in Holland, John the eldest brother was presented to him
as an eminent medallist, and upon his coming to England soon after the
Restoration he was appointed one of the engravers to the Mint having
Thomas Simon as his colleague, who retired from his post in 1664. John
Roettier then became one of the Chief Engravers to the Mint, and with
him was associated his brother Joseph, and somewhat later his younger
brother Philip, as in 1669 we find that by letters patent July 3rd,
1669, John, Joseph, and Philip Roettier were appointed His Majesty's
Engravers at the Mint with a yearly allowance of £450 during their
natural lives. In 1672, through the death of Varin, Joseph Roettier by
Colbert's influence, obtained the appointment of Chief Engraver at the
Mint at Paris, and in 1678 Philip Roettier quitted England and went
to reside in Flanders, the coinage of that country during that period
showing many traces of his work, which is inferior in style to that
of his elder brothers. In 1690 upon the death of G. Bower, James, the
eldest son of John Roettier, was associated with his father at the
Mint; but in 1694 having played tricks with a portrait of William III.,
which he was executing for a new copper coinage, he was dismissed,
and going to France found employment at the Paris Mint. Norbert his
brother, who does not appear to have been regularly employed at
the London Mint, having abstracted some of the dies for fraudulent
purposes, fled in the following year also to France, and like his
brother obtained an appointment at the Paris Mint. He also executed a
large number of medals for the Stuart family (v. Stuart Medals, p. 60).
The inquiry which followed this scandal resulted in the dismissal of
John Roettier, who died in 1703, and was buried in the Tower.
The King landed at Dover on the 26th of May 1660 (O. S.) and on the
29th following made his public entry into London.
194. Restoration, 1660. "Gigantomachia." _Obv._ Bust of King
l., wearing robes and collar of the Garter. CAROLVS II. DEI
GRATIA MAG. BR. &c. _Rev._ Jupiter, in clouds, carried by
eagle, destroying with thunderbolt prostrate giants: _G.
Bower F._; ornamented border. Silver. Size 2·5. Struck. By G.
Bower.[14]
[14] George Bower, or Bowers, as he signs himself on his later medals,
was appointed one of the engravers to the Mint after the Restoration, a
post which he filled till his death in 1690. He executed a large number
of medals for the Royal Family, and also for private individuals, which
are characterized by skill and execution.
Charles is here represented as Jupiter demolishing his foes, a probable
allusion to the execution of the Regicides.
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