HOW LONG YET?
$1,595.00
K-198
(Wie lange noch?)
1917
Cast Bronze, Satirical medallion, 85.7mm, 163.40g, Frankenhuis 1472.
Obverse: Death, wearing an English cap (England), showing an hourglass to a monkey (Japan) who withdraws terrified, behind head of the fallen giant (Russia), and feeling the giant’s pulse who, by his weight, is crushing the other allies underneath; the mournful Marianne (France), King of Italy, Romania’s King Ferdinand, King Albert of Belgium, King Peter of Serbia , and Nikita of Montenegro. In border, “Wie lunge noch” (How long yet?).
Reverse: English soldier, sitting down in the background, balances a salver with fragile statuettes representing neutral countries; a Spanish toreador, Chinese mandarin, Dutch woman with windmill, a group of Scandinavian seals, and a Swiss William Tell. The tray is decorated with the shields of Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Cuba, Argentina, Costa Rica, Panama, and Brazil with the American flag in the middle which has been torn by the fallen figurine of Pallas Athene’s (Greece). In border, “Gut gebrüllt, Löwe! 1917” (Well roared Lion!).
Goetz documents the common German belief that the Entente cannot fight much longer when, in fact, Germany was on its last legs.
Most examples we’ve seen of this issue were cast in blackened iron and were rather crudely cast. We have cherished this example since its inclusion into the karlgoetz.com collection in 2007. It’s safe to say that this is one of the finest know examples existing for this particular issue. An excellent investment for the right collector!
Grade: Gussfrisch (As Cast)