Russia, Imperial. A French-Made Bois Durci Tsar Alexander Ii Plaque

A unique French-made Tsar Alexander II commemorative plaque, constructed of Bois Durci, the obverse bearing a raised leftward-facing profile of the Tsar, circumscribed by name and title, the reverse bearing a raised inscription of “BOIS DURCI”, topped by a stud with a wire suspension loop, measuring 114 mm in diameter, in near extremely fine condition.

Footnote: Patented in France by Francois Charles Lepage in 1856, Bois Durci was an early type of plastic composite material created by amalgamating fine wood power with blood harvested from animal slaughterhouses. Finished under heat and high pressure, the resulting material took on a hard, smooth moulding. It continued to be produced until approximately 1920, when bakelite and true synthetic plastic materials entered mass production.