OLIVIER, AUBIN (French). Line-Engraver and Mechanician, born at Roissy (Ile-de-France). He flourished between 1550 and 1581, the year of his death. About 1550, Charles de Marillac, French ambassador at Augsburg, accredited to Charles V.'s court, described to his government the invention made by a German goldsmith, known under the name of " Knight of the Holy Sepulchre " (but really Marx Schwab of Augsburg, who resided near the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre, hence his surname) of a new process for the striking of coins. Henry II. sent to Augsburg his ambassador's brother, Guillaume de Marillac, comptroller-general of finance, and Francois Guilhem, Master of the Mint of Lyons to study on the spot the new machinery, consisting in : 1. Rolling mills ; 2. Draw plates; 3. Cuttingout presses; and 4. Coining presses. Marillac then requested the constable of Montmorency to send him a clever mechanician capable of copying or constructing similar machines, and Aubin Olivier was selected as " a good and excellent workman in iron". The experience acquired by Olivier during his stay in Germany made him fit for the appointment which he received on 31. January 1551 of " Maistre ouvrier, garde et conducteur des engins de la monnaie du Moulin ? Paris". Three years later, 11. February 1554 (1555) he was confirmed in the office of " Maistre et conducteur des engins de la monnoye des Etuves ". The King conceded to him the privilege of " graver, fabricquer et monnoyer toutes sortes de pi?ces courantes, piedz fortz, médailles antiques et modernes, jettons et autres pi?ces de plaisir "... Aubin Olivier was entrusted with an order for jetons in 1559. In 1572 he received 45 livres for fifteen specimens of the medal struck in memory of the St. Bartholomew massacre, which were to be distributed to the provost of merchants and municipal magis trates. Mazerolle suggests, with reason, that this medal was probably engraved by his son, Alexandre Olivier. There is nothing to prove that Aubin Olivier ever cut dies himself for coins and medals. We find, on the contrary, that he employed other Engravers to do this work for him, and a document of 1568 says : " II a faict faire les portraictz, fers et tenailles pour les Jetons du Conseil privé ". Aubin Olivier improved the machinery he brought into use at Paris by the invention of the virole brisée (split collar), by means of which the edges of coins could be milled or engraved. However, under Henry III., in 1585, it was decided to return to the primitive process of coining with the hammer, on account of the expenses connected with Olivier's tools. Only special pieces, such as Jetons, Medals, and Piéces de plaisir continued to be struck at the Monnaie au moulin. In vain did Nicholas Briot, during the reign of Henry IV., endeavour to rehabilitate the Mill for the coinage of currency. His pleadings met with no answer, and, discouraged, he came over to England where he was more successful. Aubin Olivier was a clever Line-engraver. By him are the sixty wood-engravings which adorn the Livre de perspective of his brother-in- law, Jean Cousin. In 1579, he was appointed a Moneyer, and he is sometimes styled : "Monéieur du Roy nostre sire'' . He was buried at Paris, 10. April 1581 . There is a portrait of him, by Léonard Gaultier, dated 1581. Bibliography. — N. Rondot & H. de la Tour, op. cit. — Mazerolle, Médailleurs francais, &c. — Ibid., Note sur l'Inventeur des procédés mécaniques de fabrication monétaire sous Henri II désigné sous le nom de chevalier du Saint-Sépulcre. — A. Barre, op. cit. — Chavignerie et Auvray, op. cit. — J. J. Guiffrey, La Monnaie des Médailles, Revue numismatique, 1884, p. 469.
Source: Biographical dictionary of medallists; coin, gem, and seal-engravers, mint-masters, ancient and modern, with references to their works B.C. 500-A.D. 1900; compiled by L. Forrer, London 1904
Source: Biographical dictionary of medallists; coin, gem, and seal-engravers, mint-masters, ancient and modern, with references to their works B.C. 500-A.D. 1900; compiled by L. Forrer, London 1904
NICLAUSSE, PAUL FRANCOIS
NICLAUSSE, PAUL FRANCOIS (French). Contemporary Medallist and Sculptor, born at Metz (Lorraine) ; pupil of Thomas, Ponscarme, and others. He has exhibited at the Paris Salons since 1896 : Two Portraitmedallions; — 1897. Two bronze medals and Four Portraitmedallions in clay ; — 1898. Musique guerri?re, medal (illustrated); — Four Portrait-medallions in bronze: Mme Dupont; — M. Dupont; M. Walter Dailey ; — Dr Henri Bonnet; — 1900. Montyon Prize Medal (59 mill.) ; — 1901. Medal for the "Club d'Unio...
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NICLAUSSE, PAUL FRANCOIS (French). Contemporary Medallist and Sculptor, born at Metz (Lorraine) ; pupil of Thomas, Ponscarme, and others. He has exhibited at the Paris Salons since 1896 : Two Portraitmedallions; — 1897. Two bronze medals and Four Portraitmedallions in clay ; — 1898. Musique guerri?re, medal (illustrated); — Four Portrait-medallions in bronze: Mme Dupont; — M. Dupont; M. Walter Dailey ; — Dr Henri Bonnet; — 1900. Montyon Prize Medal (59 mill.) ; — 1901. Medal for the "Club d'Unio...
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NICOLE, CLAUDE FRANCOIS
NICOLE, CLAUDE FRANCOIS (French). Medallist ; son of a Mintofficial of Besancon, born in that city about 1700, but resided at Nancy from 1726, and died there in 1783. He filled the post of Mint-engraver at Nancy for several years, and engraved a number of medals, some of which are described by Lepage. The first in chronological order is dated 1734, and bears a portrait of Count Palatine, Christian III., duke of Zweibrücken. Saint-Urbain had originally been entrusted with the execution of this p...
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NICOLE, CLAUDE FRANCOIS (French). Medallist ; son of a Mintofficial of Besancon, born in that city about 1700, but resided at Nancy from 1726, and died there in 1783. He filled the post of Mint-engraver at Nancy for several years, and engraved a number of medals, some of which are described by Lepage. The first in chronological order is dated 1734, and bears a portrait of Count Palatine, Christian III., duke of Zweibrücken. Saint-Urbain had originally been entrusted with the execution of this p...
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NICOLO FIORENTINO
NICOLO FIORENTINO. Vol. II, p. 91. This artist, whose name occurs as Nicolas de Florence, de Fleurance, Florence, Florentin, or le Florentin was evidently a native of Florence. He was a Master-gilder at Lyons, from about 1493 till his death in 1499. There he married Guillermine Le P?re, daughter of Louis Le P?re, in collaboration with whom he executed in 1499 the dies of the medal with the portraits of Charles VIII. and Anne of Brittany, struck on their Visit to Lyons. Bibliography. — Armand, op...
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NICOLO FIORENTINO. Vol. II, p. 91. This artist, whose name occurs as Nicolas de Florence, de Fleurance, Florence, Florentin, or le Florentin was evidently a native of Florence. He was a Master-gilder at Lyons, from about 1493 till his death in 1499. There he married Guillermine Le P?re, daughter of Louis Le P?re, in collaboration with whom he executed in 1499 the dies of the medal with the portraits of Charles VIII. and Anne of Brittany, struck on their Visit to Lyons. Bibliography. — Armand, op...
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NIDERÖST, G.
NIDERÖST, G. (Germ.). Mint-engraver at Pisa, and Medallist, circ. 1825-1858. His signature : NIDERÖST or initials G. N. or N. occur on gold and silver currency of Leopold II., Grand Duke of Tuscany (1824-1858), struck at Pisa, as : Al. 80 Fiorini, 1827; Ruspone or 40 Lire, 1836 and other dates; Zecchino, var. dates; — AR. Francescone of 10 Paoli, 1836, 1858 and other dates ; Franceschino of 5 Paoli, var. dates; Fiorino of 2 1/2 Paoli, 1847, 1856, and other dates; Paolo, 1858 and other dates; M...
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NIDERÖST, G. (Germ.). Mint-engraver at Pisa, and Medallist, circ. 1825-1858. His signature : NIDERÖST or initials G. N. or N. occur on gold and silver currency of Leopold II., Grand Duke of Tuscany (1824-1858), struck at Pisa, as : Al. 80 Fiorini, 1827; Ruspone or 40 Lire, 1836 and other dates; Zecchino, var. dates; — AR. Francescone of 10 Paoli, 1836, 1858 and other dates ; Franceschino of 5 Paoli, var. dates; Fiorino of 2 1/2 Paoli, 1847, 1856, and other dates; Paolo, 1858 and other dates; M...
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