2017-09-05 Tue

Davissons Ltd. e-auction which ends on 20th September is going to offer a circa 1700 silver medal issued in iNürnberg, Germany that portrays an Orthodox and Catholic Bible story from the Book of Tobit or Tobias.

The story talks about how Tobias is sent by his father with the angel Raphael in disguise. The obverse depicts Tobias with his dog and a huge fish that he caught from the Tigris River. The prophet Samuel is also featured on the obverse. Tobias used the fish’s heart, gall, and liver to protect his future wife Sara from an evil spirit and to help his father regain his eyesight. The reverse shows Joseph and Daniel with lions behind. Raphael was considered to be a protector of travellers. The story was explored artistically during the Renaissance.

An inscription on the obverse translates to “Hardworking as Tobias, Faithful as Samuel to the Lord, Such youth” and that on the reverse translates to “Art thou chaste as Joseph’s soul, wise as Daniel yonder, One loves gladly”. The 14.46 grams medal, graded Near Extremely Fine by the auction house, has some old toning and an estimated value of $250.