Graspable Testimonies – Testimonies to Piety from Another Time: Part 2

On 16 October, 2014, the Werner Jaggi Collection will be sold. It is the largest collection of numismatic testimonies on religious beliefs and customs the market has ever seen. Here you will find information about pieces from Austria, Italy and Switzerland.

From Pavia to the Sack of Rome – siege coins in Italy

Why was it that Renaissance rulers went to Italy to seek good fortune? Why was it that thousands of ducats and thaler were spent on mercenary soldiers? This article gives an insight into the war between Francis I of France and Charles V of Italy…

Creator of the Paduans: Giovanni da Cavino

Giovanni da Cavino was an exceptionally gifted artist and an honoured businessman when he imitated the first Roman coins. As ‘Paduans’, they were destined to achieve world fame later on. He provided the high society with what it looked for and earned good money with it. In those days, nobody would have dreamt co call him a forger…

Antonio Abondio – An artist with special talents

Antonio Abondio made a career for himself as an artist in 16th century Vienna and Prague. The Italian medalist created portraits of powerful people, even the emperor, and influenced colleagues in all of Europe. Sincona offers in its next sale several of Abondio’s works.

Coins in the fountain well: Trevi Fountain in Rome

Do you know actually, who invented the fashion to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain in Rome in order to return to the Eternal City? If you do not, you will find the answer within this article…

Medieval Sicily Part 4: The Normans are coming

Around AD 1000, Sicily was ruled and shaped by the Arabs, Lower Italy by the Byzantines and the Lombards. Then the Normans came and created a new empire in the South …

Medieval Sicily Part 3: Arab Influence

The Arabs didn’t just rule Sicily. They had such an impact on its art and culture that this influence continued to have an effect long after the expulsion of the Muslim masters. This episode tells of what Europe owes to them.

The Casa Savoia – A Noble Family between Italy, France, and Switzerland Part 1

Auction house Gadoury will auction off an extensive collection Casa Savoia originating from the possessions of a gentleman of the royal family. In the first article of the three-part series you will learn more about how the counts of Savoy rose from a minor noble family to being protagonists of European politics.

A King at a pinch – the stolen coin collection of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy

A King dealing in coins – that sounds preposterous? Well, in 1944 the satirical magazine “Nebelspalter” published a caricature of the same tenor which was understood throughout Europe. Victor Emmanuel’s passion for coins was proverbial. He is said to have collected 120,000 pieces as the foundation of the most important publication of Italian coinage, the CNI, whose first volume was published exactly 100 years ago…

The Casa Savoia – A Noble Family between Italy, France, and Switzerland Part 2

Auction house Gadoury will auction off an extensive collection Casa Savoia originating from the possessions of a gentleman of the royal family. In the second article of the three-part series you will learn more about how the counts of Savoy became kings – and then lost all of their power again.