Collection of Russian medals.
Medallion of Tsar Alexander II made using the Bois Durci method. Obverse - left-facing profile of the Tsar, surrounded by his name and title, just below the image of the Tsar, there is a small wing of a bird, which is a distinctive identifying feature of Bois Durci technology. Reverse with convex inscription "BOIS DURCI", diameter 122g., weight 112mm. Medallion made with attention to detail, with high relief. First time on the Polish auction market.
Bois Durci technology (literal translation - "hardened wood") was patented in France by Francois Charles Lepage in 1856. Bois Durci was an early type of composite material created by combining under high pressure very fine sawdust, usually ebony or rosewood, with protein - a viscous substance found in blood or eggs. Finished under heat and high pressure, the resulting material took on a hard, smooth form. This material was produced until around 1920, when Bakelite and synthetic plastics entered mass production.
