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Medal, Plaquette, 1903, Silvered Bronze, FRANCE. MARCEL RENAULT MEMORIAL ERECTED, by Frederick De Vernon. Obv. M. Renault bust right, name below, dates 1872-1903 below; Rv. Renault arriving at the finish of the Paris-Vienna race, Vienne 1902, in one of his cars. RARE. Size: 58 x 42mm. Weight: 61 Grams. Hallmark on edge. Ref. PBE 976; BDM VI, 240. Cf. DNW Auction 25 Nov 1998, Lot 755, Realized $150.00. Medallist: Frédéric-Charles Victor de Vernon, born 17 November 1858 in Paris, where he died 28 October 1911, was a sculptor and engraver of French medals. He was educated at the École des beaux-arts where his teachers were Jules Cavelier, Jules-Clément Chaplain, and Émile Tasset. In 1881, he won second great Prix de Rome and in 1887 the first grand prix of Rome, after which he spent three years at the villa Médicis. Member of the Société des artistes français since 1896, he was elected member of the Académie des beaux-arts in 1909. His son Jean de Vernon (1897-1975), was likewise an engraver, medallist and a French sculptor. History Renault: Following several fatal accidents in races on public roads in 1901, the French government banned motor racing but the Auto Club de France won a reprieve for a planned race from Paris to Vienna, via Switzerland, in 1902. A total of 137 competitors started the race, which was being led by Louis Renault (1877-1944) when his car was involved in a collision at Innsbruck. His brother Marcel Renault (1872-1903), took over the lead and won the race at an average of 38.9mph. Marcel came close to losing the race, however, when he arrived at the finish, which was on a trotting track outside Vienna, and in his excitement drove around the track the wrong way. He promptly retraced his steps and finished just ahead of the wealthy amateur Count Zborowski, driving a 60hp Mercedes. Tragically, Marcel Renault was fatally injured in an 80mph crash at Couhé Verac in the 1903 Paris-Madrid race, which was stopped at Bordeaux, again with Louis Renault in the lead. The Renault brothers started to make cars in 1898 and by 1900 were building 350 cars a year.