GERMANY. Kaiserreich. Sachsen. Friedrich August III, 1904-1918. Medal (Silvered bronze, 24 mm, 7.11 g), obverse pattern for Singer’s Award by Hörnlein. Schrobenhausen, no date (1907). ORPHEUS Standing Orpheus, facing to right and playing a harp, surrounded by a lion and two lionesses, temple building in the background. Rev. Blank. Cf. Arnold/Stein 34 (obverse). Exceedingly rare. Beautifully toned. Extremely fine.


This exceedingly rare obverse die pattern was prepared for the 'Sängerpreis-Medaille' ('Singer’s Award medal' in German) struck by Poellath at Schrobenhausen in 1907. In that year, the celebrated Saxon medallist Friedrich Wilhelm Hörnlein (1873-1945) - creator of many remarkable medals and commemorative coins - supplied Poellath with several designs for award medals. None of these designs bears a signature (cf. P. Arnold / M. Fischer / U. Arnold: Friedrich Wilhelm Hörnlein, Dresden 1992, p. 36, nos. 31–35).