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The
Medici Granducal Archive:
Documents for Jewish History, Religion and Culture
Duke
Cosimo I acquires antique medals from the Jew Jacobiglio in
Venice (1561)
Citation:
Archivio di Stato di Firenze, Mediceo del Principato 213,
f.43v.
File
copy of letter from Duke Cosimo de'Medici (Florence) to Piero
Gelido (Venice)
Date:
25 April 1561
DOCUMENT
Al Pero
a Venetia, adì 25 d'aprile (1561)
".
. . Le medaglie di Jacobiglio si son ricevute et ci sono state
molto grate; piglieremole tutte, senza farne cappata, pagandogli
l'auree et l'argentee altanto più di quel che pesano,
si come già ci scriveste. L'altre di bronzo poi che
non gli costano nulla, le accetteremo in cortesia come habbiamo
fatto queste, che non ci sono dispiaciute, ringratiatenele
per nostra parte, et ditegli pure che faccia provedere dell'altre
d'ogni sorte, perche al medesimo prezzo ne piglieremo quante
ce ne manderà . . . "
TRANSLATION
To Piero
in Venice, on the 25th of April (1561)
. .
. We were very glad to receive Jacobiglio's medals and we
will take all of them without bothering to make a choice.
We will pay for the gold and the silver ones at somewhat over
the value of their weight. Since those other bronze medals
didn't cost him anything, we will accept them as a gift, as
we were pleased to accept the present ones. Thank him on our
behalf, and tell him to provide more of every sort, since
we will take as many as he sends us at that price...
NOTES
The
relationship between Duke Cosimo I de'Medici and "Jacobiglio
Hebreo"(as he is described in other letters in this series)
is documented from 1559 through 1564. This Jewish dealer in
classical coins, medals, cameos and engraved gems was based
in Venice, though he had commercial and evidently family connections
in Constantinople, which was probably the origin of his stock
in trade.
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