The John E. Marqusee Collection

References:   ANS 24, Baxter 300, Marqusee 333

The obverse bears a bust l. of Lafayette in Garde Nationale uniform. Legend below, MARIE JOSEPH PAVL / YVES ROCHE GILBERT DVMOTIER / MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE / MAJOR GENERAL IN THE SERVICE OF / THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / AND NOBLEST PATRIOT OF THE / FRENCH REVOLTION; signed J E ROINE.

The reverse bears Liberty advancing with sword, falgsm eagle, 1776 on rising sun, 1789 in clouds. Dedication below, AD PERPETVAM REI / MEMORIAM / MCMXI (for the everlasting memory of the events); signed J E ROINE.

This medal was the fifth issue in the Circle of Friends of the Medallion series. It measures 47mm x 77mm and was produced by the J.K. Davison Company of Philadelphia. Its mintage is probably known... but unfortunately not to the author of this page.

References:   Baxter 303, CoF 5, Marqusee 335

References:   ANS 22, Baxter 302, MACo 1908-001, Marqusee 336,337

References:   ANS 22, Baxter 302, MACo 1908-001, Marqusee 336,337

References:   Baxter 304, MACo 1914-011, Marqusee 338

The medal's obverse shows two women, symbolising France and America, seated in an open boat, rowed by an angel wearing a phrygian bonnet (a symbol of the French Revolution). In the distance on the left is the Statue of Liberty. Around top, VNION · FRANCO · AMERICAINE / STATVE · COLOSS-ALE · DE · LA · LIBERTÉ · ECLAIRANT · LE · MONDE / 28 OCTOBRE / M.D.CCCLXXXVI; signed around lower left, O. Roty.

The reverse shows the shields of America and France resting on a laurel branch, with a profile portrait of Bartholdi, facing left, in a medallion between them.  Around, SOUVENIR · DE · L'INDEPENDANCE · AMERICAINE; across,  MONVMENT / ERIGÉ · PAR · LA · FRANCE / ET · L'AMERIQVE · EN · SOUVENIR / · DE · LEVR · ANCIENNE · AMITIÉ / 1776 - 1876; flanking cartouche at bottom, HAVTEVR · DE / LA · STATVE · 46'''8 - HAVTEVR · DV / PIÉDESTAL · 35'''

This medal commemorates the Franco-American Union, formed in 1875, which planned and ultimately brought about the creation of the Statue of Liberty. The statue was a gift of friendship from France to the U.S.A. in recognition of the friendship established between the two nations during the American Revolution.

The Union agreed that the monument would represent the work of both nations. The statue would be made by the French and transported to the U.S.A. and the Americans would build its pedestal. The sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi (1834-1904) started work immediately. The statue was dedicated on 28th October 1886.

The circular medal measures 68.8mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Paris Mint. No mintage is reported.

Parts of the description are from the Victoria and Albert Museum's record for this medal.

References:   Baxter 30, Marqusee 340

The medal's obverse bears a beautifully modeled barefoot female figure, seated in rough chair, facing left, holding flowers or leaves in her hands as she seems lost in thought while looking at the surrounding gardens. Around top, THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF CHICAGO

The reverse bears a wreath of chrysanthemums surrounding engraved dedication.

The circular medal measures 69.5mm in diameter. Early medals had a clear edge and it is uncertain where they were struck. Later, the contract was awarded to the Medallic Art Company and they edge-marked the medals accordingly.  They also struck the medal in at least one other metal (nickel silver).

References:   Marqusee 344-345

The medal's obverse bears a beautifully modeled barefoot female figure, seated in rough chair, facing left, holding flowers or leaves in her hands as she seems lost in thought while looking at the surrounding gardens. Around top, THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF CHICAGO

The reverse bears a wreath of chrysanthemums surrounding engraved dedication.

The circular medal measures 69.5mm in diameter. Early medals had a clear edge and it is uncertain where they were struck. Later, the contract was awarded to the Medallic Art Company and they edge-marked the medals accordingly.  They also struck the medal in at least one other metal (nickel silver).

References:   Marqusee 344-345

The medallion's obverse bears bust of Washington, left, with fasces to his rght, surrounded by thirteen stars. Around top, · GEORGE · WASHINGTON · ; across center, · PATER · - PAT-RIAE · / · M·DC·C·L - XX-XIX · ; signed under truncation, PHILIP · MARTINY · MODELER · DESIGN · AND · / COPYRIGHT · BY · AVGVSTVS · SAINT · GAVDENS ·

The reverse bears spread eagle with American shield on chest at top and coat of arms of New York at bottom left, within ring of stars. Across, TO · COM-MEMORATE / THE · INAV-GVRATION / OF · GEORGE · WASHINGTON / AS · FIRST · PRESIDENT · OF · AMERICA / AT · NEW · YORK · APRIL · XXX / · M·D·C·C·LXXXIX · / BY · AVTHORITY · OF / THE · COMMITTEE / ON · CELEBRATION / NEW · YORK · APRIL / · XXX · /  ·M·D·C·C·LXXXIX ·

The medallion was designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and modeled by his assistant, Philip Martiny. Richard Watson Gilder, a close personal friend of St. Gaudens and member of the medal selection committee, called it "the first medal of real artistic value in this country."

The circular medallions typically measure between 112mm and 116mm in diameter and were cast in bronze, silver and gold by the Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island.

The silver medallions had a reported mintage of ten but only seven are still known to exist. Only one piece was produced in gold and originally owned by J.P. Morgan.

Many thanks to Stacks Bowers Galleries for granting me permission to use pictures of the silver variant.  All rights to the image remain with Stacks Bowers Galleries.

References:   Marqusee 346

References:   MACo 1930-001-028, SoM 28, Marqusee 350