Old Sails: French Galleon on Jeton is Guided by the Dophin in 1605

Here we have a ruddy French galleon that is being guided “against all hazards” by a dolphin.

The ship is fully rigged with majestic fore and aft castles. The curvature of the gunwales is amplified with an artistic flair; bold planks and two decks of cannon complement the broadside. The shrouds and stays are nicely detailed. The sails are furled.

The waters appear relatively calm with a few large curls just aft of the vessel. The crowned dolphin leads on the starboard side; its tail gallantly protruding upwards.

French Galleon guided by a Dolphin
It is a hopeful image that a new King will lead to prosperity and peace.

It is a beautiful design despite the rather neglected condition of the piece. This jeton of 1605 was handled for a few decades and then set aside. A deep brown and red patina has engulfed the fields thereby accentuating the ship. A deep old scrape cuts the ship across the fore and main masts.

Despite its injuries, it is a nice piece for the ship collector.

The legend reads: MARIA OMNIA CONTRA. This roughly translates to “Maria (the queen, and second wife of Henry IV) will prosper against all odds or hazards.” Note that Henry of Navarre (also known affectionately as “the good king Henry”) was King from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the House of Bourbon.

Henry IV married Maria de Medici in October of 1600. She gave him a son (the future Louis XIII) in 1601. As heir to the throne, the future king was known as the Dauphin of France.

Henry IV was brutally assassinated in May of 1610. He was known for being compassionate towards his people, but the fervent Catholics and the Protestants hated him for his stance on religious tolerance.

The dolphin represents the French province of Dauphine and has long been part of the French Arms. Of note, the dolphin also has symbolic significance and represents prudence.

And so, we are left to piece together the message of the jeton. The legend on the obverse helps us here, as it reads: DELPHINO  TVTIOR IBIS. This translates to: “Your path will be more about thanks to the dolphin.”

I believe that the piece is celebrating Maria and her son Louis XIII (the Dauphin) who will eventually lead France towards prosperity.

As always, I welcome any comments/corrections on the translation or its meaning.