13. Gold lingot 1 kg, purity 997.7, numbered 450809, marked Leon Martin Etablissements, 1959, accompanied by an analysis certificate

Very few stamped ingots bearing the name "Léon Martin" are still in public circulation, these being collector's items, rare, historical. Léon Martin from Bagneux was not initially a gold refiner. He was a manufacturer of mechanical chains, in gold, white gold, platinum, as well as seamless wedding rings, as it appears from some invoices. It is presumed that the activity of gold refining and the manufacture of pure gold ingots (24 carats) appeared later. Most gold ingots are stamped with the inscription "Les Anciens Établissements Léon Martin" and were produced at the headquarters in Bagneux, on Gustave-Courbet Street no. 11. Jean Pourquery was one of the company's expert appraisers (essayeurs) before setting up his own gold refining workshop. The company had several stamp versions of the "Léon Martin" company. In one of them, the postal code 75003 (Paris) is mentioned instead of Bagneux. Among the evaluators of the "Léon Martin" ingots, Jean Pourquery stands out, who founded his own testing laboratory, later became a melting and gold refinery, active until today. After 1993, the company "Les Anciens Établissements Léon Martin" was taken over by the Bijoux Fix company.

Description

gold

Research information

The lot is accompanied by an updated appraisal, prepared by the numismatist expert Frédéric Deloute.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For clarifications regarding the bidding procedure, hammer price costs, guarantee, payment, and collection terms for the winning lot, we recommend carefully reading/re-reading the Bidding Regulations.

For additional information regarding the lot and the auction, please contact the Art Consultants Department.