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TheNewsletter ofMedal Collectors ofAmerica Volume13Number 2 February2010 From the Editor 3 BoardMembers JohnSallay,President,[email protected] DavidMenchell,[email protected] Pisanello 3 AnneE.Bentley,Secretary,[email protected] BarryD.Tayman,Treasurer BenjaminWeiss,Webmaster Marc Isambard Brunel: A Portrait JohnW.Adams Plaque By David D’ Angers DavidT.Alexander,[email protected] RobertF.Fritsch,[email protected] 4 (byScottMiller) MargiHofer,[email protected] TonyLopez,[email protected] ScottMiller,[email protected] A Standard Template For Medal IraRezak,[email protected] Catalog Descriptions 5 (byJohnSallay) DonaldScarinci,[email protected] MichaelTurrini,[email protected] Huybrechts Attends Opening of Belgium Art Medal Exhibit JohnW.Adams,Editor 99HighStreet,11thfloor 9 (byDonaldScarinci) Boston,MA02110 [email protected] Letters to the Editor 13 BarryTayman,Treasurer 3115NestlingPineCourt EllicottCity,MD21042 The New World of Calendar Medals [email protected] 14 (byGeorgeFuld) BenjaminWeiss,Webmaster [email protected] Calendar for 2010 Website: medalcollectors.org August 12th Clubmeeting 3:00to5:00p.m.at EditorofCollectors’Guide,DickJohnson Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston. ([email protected]) Anne BentleyandJohnAdams tospeak Dues: $30.00/Year$50.00/2years What’s New on OurWebsite! CHECKOUTOURWEBSITEEVERYMONTH 1 2 From the Editor This said,wewouldenjoyabit more camaraderie. Perhaps, this year’s ANA conventionis theplaceto start. “Oursuper There are alot fewerpeoplewhocollect meeting”at theMHS is a great foundation medals thanjust about anyother categoryin uponwhichtobuild. U.S.numismatics. Wehaveheardsomemedal collectors attributetheirthinranks toothers’ lackofcuriosity,elevatedtastes and/or education. Theserationalizations are,of course,“bull-feathers.” Medal collectingis hamperedby storagealternatives—see ourJanuaryissue as well as this one. Medal collectingis hampered byscarcityofproduct(in manycases). And medal collectingis hamperedbythelackofup- to-dateliterature: Gerard van Loon (1730),C. Wyllys Betts (1894)and Medallic Illustrations (1885)whicharesomeofthebest references wehave, averagetwo centuries old. However,eventhis formidablelist of handicaps does not definethefull scopeofthe situation. Onemust give full credit tosteps otherbranches ofthehobbyhavetakento popularizetheirspecialties. It mayseem foolish tosome,but encapsulationandregistry sets haveservedtounleash competitive instincts forthosewhocollect regularmint series. Evenmoreimportant,inouropinion,is theclubambiance createdbyEarlyAmerican Coppers (largecents and halfcents) andC4 (colonial coinage). Thesegroups not only socializeonaregularbasis (anopportunitythat stokes excitement)but theyhavetaken educationandpublicationtonewhighs. They havecreated amyriadof sub-series so that largecent aficionados do not havetocollect the entireseries of300plusSheldonvarieties; they cancollect 1794’s or1821’s orerrors orcolor sets orwhatever,knowingthat thereareothers whoarelike-minded. Wearenot anxious about therelative obscurityofmedal collecting. Prices arelow, competitionis less intenseandthelevel of intellectual satisfactionis highcomparedto most ofthealternatives. Cometothinkofit, wehadbetterenjoythepeaceandquiet, becauseit probablywon’t last. 3 Pisanello’scastbronzeportraitmedalofCeciliaGonzaga TheRenaissancewitnessedthedesign British medals tothe Los Angeles County andexecutionofsomeof themost beautiful Museum some years ago, thoughsome medals extant. Outsideofbooks andmuseums, important pieces wereretainedandwill be largenumbers oftheseexquisitecreations are offeredinthesales. seldom seen. Nowcomes acornucopia. Thestrengthofthe collectionis inearly A.H.Baldwin&Sons Ltdaredelighted Italianmedals, otherwise it remains very toannouncethat theyhavebeen chosento comprehensiveinthemedals oflater Italy, auctiontheextensivecollectionofRenaissance France,Germany,the HolyRomanEmpireand andlatermedals formed bytheNewYork theNetherlands. Thereareextensivegroups of connoisseurandfineart collector,Michael Papal medals, manyofwhichfeaturedinthe Hall.TheMichael Hall collectioncomprises in 1981publicationRomaResurgens, Papal excess of2000items, makingit byfarthe Medals fromtheAgeof theBaroque; anda largest saleofRenaissancepieces sincethe groupofFlorentineBaroquemedals that will Max andMauriceRosenheim (Sotheby1923) beseenas amatchtothe Lankheit Collection andHenryOppenheimer (Christie,s 1936) soldbyMorton &Eden(May2003). sales. Thefirst auctionis scheduledforMay 2010. Toreadthe completearticle,see: Themajorityofthecollectionwas Michael Hall CollectionofRenaissanceMedals formedinthe1960s and ‘70s, aperiod Set forAuction whenHall was livingfor muchofthetimein (www.coinnews.net/2009/12/14/michael-hall- London. collection-of-renaissance-medals-set-for- Themedals werepurchasedfrom the auction/) dealers oftheday,in Londonandother European centres, rather thanat auction.Over theensuing years the collectionhas remained mostlyunseen.Michael Hall giftedmost ofhis 4 Marc Isambard Brunel: A Portrait Plaque By David D’ Angers (byScottMiller) There aretimes whena well recorded farmer whoenvisioneda churchcareer forhim. medal needs a fresh examination,not because Afterabrieftimeat theSeminaryofSt.Nicaisc ofmisattributionorothererror,but becauseits at Rouen,his teachers recommendedto full historyandimportancehavenot been Brunel’s fatherthat hefindsomeothercareer realized. Recently, Iwas fortunatetocome forhis son moresuitable tohis talents. When across aportrait reliefof Marc Isambard Brunel Brunel toldhis fatherhe wishedtobecomean byPierreJeanDavidd’Angers. Measuring engineer,his fatherfearedthis wouldnot 124mm,this uniface,cast bronzeplaque provideasufficient livingforhis son, and depicts abust ofBrunel, right. Totheleft of insteadarrangedthat hejointhenavy. Brunel thebust intwolines is theinscription“Marc was stationedintheWest Indies from 1786to Isambart / Brunel”inscript; theartist’s 1792,finallyreturningtoParis wherehewas signatureanddate“David/ 1828”canbeseen paidoffinJanuary1793. France,at that time, below. Someexamples ofthis plaquealso hadjust eruptedintothe ReignOf Terror, carryanadditional inscriptiontotheright of leadingour youngroyalist toleaveParis only thebust “Néarr.Des Andelys. 1769.” fourdays beforetheexecutionof Louis XVI. Tomedal collectors, Davidd’Angers is Returninghome,hemet SophieKingdom,a best knownforhis extensiveseries ofportrait youngEnglish womanvisitingthearea. As the plaques ofillustrious menandwoman. While revolutionspreadthroughout France, Brunel somearestill householdnames, manyarenow managedtosecure apassport forAmerica, obscureand forgotten. AlthoughBrunel is still departingonJuly7,1793.Shortlyaftersetting rememberedforhis engineeringfeats in sail ontheAmericanvessel “Liberty”, Brunel England,most notablytheThames Tunnel, foundhehad actuallyforgottenhis passport, therearesomeaspects of his lifethat areworth requiringtheresourceful travelertoforge an repeating,most notablyhis years intheUnited acceptablecopy, which workedwell enoughto States. pass scrutinywhentheshipwas boardedbya Marc Isambard Brunel was bornin Frenchcrew.Hearrived inNewYorkwithout Francein1769,thesecondson ofaprosperous furtherincident onSeptember6,1793.i 5 Shortlyafterhis arrival inNewYork, winningdesign,thoughhis ornamental plans Brunel,needingemployment,recalledtwoof provedtoocostlyandwereneverused. his fellowshipmates whowent toAlbanywith Kleebergrightlynotes that thereis thehopes oforganizinga companytosurvey virtuallynocontemporaryevidence landnear LakeOntario,inanareatobesettled documentingmuchofBrunel’s workinthe byFrenchfamilies fleeingtherevolution, UnitedStates,includinghis claims as architect knownas Castorland. Brunel joinedtheparty oftheParkTheater and winnerofthe inexploringandmappingthe area. Duetothe competitionfortheCapitol building. lateness oftheseason, it appears that littlework AccordingtotheEncyclopediaofNewYork was done,thepartyreturningtoAlbanyto City,theParkTheaterwas actuallydesignedby escapetheharshness of winterinthefield. JosephFrancois Mangin, apartnerinthe Shortlythereafter,Brunel andPierrePharoux, architectural firm ManginBrothers.ivHowever, oneofthetrustees ofthe companythat heldthe despitethelikelihoodofsomepuffing,the landwent toPhiladelphiatoseeSecretaryof circumstances aresuchas tosupport Brunel as theTreasuryAlexander HamiltonandSecretary havingat least beeninvolvedintheseprojects. ofStateThomas Jeffersontosecuretitletothe Kleeberg, remarkingthat that theFrench land,thoughneitherappearedtoowillingto émigrés got alongwell,believes theymayhave cooperate. sharedworkandthus mayexplainthevarying Uponleavinghis compatriots in claims. In addition,consideringhis many Castorland,Brunel returnedtoNewYork accomplishments inEngland,thereis noreason wherehewas engagedin anumberofother tobelieveBrunel would not havebeenjust as projects, includingdesigningtheParkTheater industrious inNewYork. whichopenedinJanuary1798.ii Todaythe In1799 Brunel left theUnitedStates for ParkTheateris best knownas thesubject of a England wherehehoped toprofit from his idea pennytokenbySkidmore,anddiscussed at foranimprovedmethod ofmanufacturing lengthbyJohnKleebergin"TheTheatre at ship’s blocks. It also gavehim theopportunity NewYork"iii. toreacquaint himselfwithMiss Kingdom,with Workingas an engineer andarchitect, whom heenjoyedalongandhappymarriage. Brunel was eventuallynamedchiefengineerof theCityofNewYork, a post hehelduntil 1799. Hewas also naturalizedas acitizenof A Standard Template For theUnitedStates at the U.S.District Court, Medal Catalog Descriptions District ofNewYorkon August 22,1796. Amongthemanyaccomplishments duringhis (byJohnSallay) six years inAmerica,Brunel designedthe defenses inthe Narrows, wherethe Verrazano At themost recent MCA boardmeeting, Narrows Bridgenowstands. wediscussedapproaches toencouragingthe In1792Thomas Jeffersondecidedthat publicationofbooks onvarious medallic thedesigns forthenewnations’Capitol topics. In additiontothescholarlybenefit,we buildingshouldbepickedthrough apublic felt that makingmoreinformationmore competition,thejudges beingGeorge broadlyavailable woulddemystifyour Washington,Jefferson andtheCommissioners numismaticspecialtyand encourageothers to oftheDistrict ofColumbia. Unfortunately,the collect historical,commemorative,art,award judges weredisappointedintheentries andsimilartypes ofmedals. received.Brunel,oneof manywho enteredthe Wedebatedthereasons whymore competition,is saidtohavesubmitteda books onmedals arenot published–thecosts involved,thinmarket, perfectionism leadingto 6 procrastination,lackofknowledgeofhowto andwiththepieces ofinformationdisplayedin actuallywriteandpublishabook,difficultyof all different orders andformats. takinggoodphotographs, needfor adesigner, So,tocomeupwithastandardformat, andso on. Oneissuethat seemedtoresonate, wescannedthemajorAmericanand European however, was thelackof astandardformat or medal auctioncatalogues,catalogues from the “template”fordescribingmedals inacatalog majorinternational art auctioneers, numerous format,at least relativetocoins. Theevolution medal referencebooks andtheleadingmuseum ofstandards forcatalogingcoins has allowed software. Ialso talkedto museum curators and manymoreauthors topublish oncoin-related numismaticscholars who havepreviously topics andperhaps partlyas aresult,many thought about this topic. Particularlyhelpful morecollectors collect coins thanmedals. were DickJohnson, Lou JordanandTracy Eachexistingmedal referencebookhas Bergstrom at NotreDameUniversity,and someinternallyconsistent format fordescribing SebastianHeathat the ANS whois aleaderof all thebits ofinformationtheauthorconsiders theNUDS project. relevant ina catalogformat. Thesame goes for TheattachedTemplateOutlineand eachmajor auctionhouse,thoughcatalogs TemplateOutput describethe50orso sometimes varysale-to-saleeven forthesame informationfields that canbeusedin auctioneer. Thesemedal descriptionformats NeoCollect todescribe eachmedal, andthen areverysimilarandcontainmostlysimilar showhowthesebits and pieces ofinformation categories ofinformation,but everyone aredisplayed foreachmedal that is described. approaches it abit differently. Not all fields needtobe orcanevenbeusedfor InordertodevelopNeoCollect last agivenmedal. Forexample,anoval medal year,webuilt arelational databasetoorganize wouldhaveaheight and width,but not a andmanageinformation about individual diameter,and aroundmedal shouldhavea collectoritems suchas medals. This relational diameter,but not aheight andwidth.Since databaseis comprisedof fields oflikebits of most medals areround,it is possibletosimply informationabout eachitem.Thoseinturnare ignoretheshape,height andwidthfields. And displayedinastandard format. This approach therearesomeotherfields that onlythemost allows acollectortomanageandshare detail-orientedcollector woulduseforeach informationabout anycombinationofthese medal,suchas thickness, so thesecanbeleft items (suchas medals)in groups that comprise blank. collections, catalogs, slideshows andarticles. Withastandarddataset andstandard Because each collectordefines the output format that is mostlyconsistent withthe scopeofhis collectiondifferently, andthese informationandformats usedforotheritems, it collections canoftenincludeall sorts ofitems becomes possibleforindividual collectors to besides medals, wedevelopedafewstandard bettermanageandsharetheircollections. templates, startingwith medals. Museum Moreimportantly,theycanthencollaborate software, whichis usedbyprofessional withothercollectors tocreatejoint catalogues curators todescribejust about anyman-made andreferenceworks. Forexample,saythat ornatural item underthe suncancontain CollectorAcollects Washingtonmedals, literallythousands of fields, manyof whichare CollectorBcollects school awardmedals, and highlytechnical,repetitive,and/or generic. But CollectorC collectsPennsylvaniamedals. ascanofthemajormedal referencebooks and WhenCollectorDcomes alongwithaproject auctioncatalogues wouldshowthat theytend tocatalogueall medals madebyLovett,it tohavethesame–fewer–pieces of wouldbeeasytoassembleall ofthe Lovett- information,thoughwith considerablevariation mademedals from each oftheA,B,C andD collections sincetheyare all alreadydescribed 7 inastandardformat. Andwhenhighly (1) Previous owner/auctionhouseor ambitious CollectorEcomes alongandwants dealer toput togetherthe comprehensivecatalogueof (2) Auctionnameand/ortransaction American19thcenturymedals (thinkofthe date Julianbookonsteroids, andthensome),this (3) Auctionsalenumber wouldbeas “simple” as assemblingall ofthe (4) Auctionlot number records inthemanyrelevant medal collector (5) Publicly-visiblecommentary catalogues and eliminatingtheduplicates. (6) Privatecommentary You’dneed computersoftwaretodo ii) Provenanceinformation #2 (etc.) this, andthat was at least part oftheidea 4) DescriptiveDetails behindNeoCollect. a) Obversedescription b) Reversedescription NeoCollectMedal TemplateOutline c) Edgetreatment January17,2010 d) Edgeinscriptionormarkings e) Historical orotherrelevant background 1) Basics f) Creatorinformation a) Title i) Creator#1information b) Status (e.g.,nowowned, wanted,sold, (1) Roleofcreator#1 etc.) (2) Attributionlocation c) Privacy(ofthelisting: privateorpublic) (3) Attributionapplies to d) Description ii) Creator#2information(etc.) e) Dateofissue g) Referencenumbers f) Placeoforigin i) Reference#1 g) Othernotes/commentary (1) Referencesource h) Images–2“representative”andupto6 (2) Reference ID# additional (e.g.,edge, case,marks, ec.) ii) Reference#2 (etc.) 2) Physical Details 5) Personal a) Metal a) Collector’s catalognumber b) Fineness b) Storagelocation c) Methodofmanufacture c) Dateacquired d) Turn(e.g.,medal vs. coin) d) Acquiredfrom e) Weight (gm) e) Pricepaid f) Diameter(mm) f) Collector’s price code g) Thickness (mm) g) Current valuation h) Shape–ifnot round h) Privatenotes i) Length (mm)–ifnot round j) Width(mm)–ifnot round JMS k) Suspensiondevice 3) Condition &Provenance a) Conditiongrading/certificationagency b) Grade c) Certificationnumber d) Conditioncomments e) Rarity f) Comments onrarity g) Provenanceinformation NeoCollect Medal TemplateOutput i) Provenanceinformation #1 January17,2010 8 [Rarity], [comments [Title] onrarity]. (Statusin collection; privacy status) Representative Images [Place oforigin], [date ofissue]. Provenance: [Reference source] [Previous [reference ID#]. owner/auction [Metal], [fineness], house ordealer]; [methodof [auction name manufacture], on and/ortransaction [undertype]. date], Sale [auction Diameter[diameter sale number], lot in mm]mm, [auction lot [thicknessin number], [publicly- mm]mmthick, visible commentary] [weightin grams] [Paragraphonhistorical grams, with orotherrelevant background] [suspension device] forsuspension. Obverse engraved [Daterecord created] by [name ofcreator #1](signed PrivateItemDetails [attribution Collector's CatalogNumber: [collector's location]). catalognumber] [Additional Storage Location: [storagelocation] description]. DateAcquired: [dateacquired] Obverse:[obverse Acquired From: [acquiredfrom] description]. PricePaid: [pricepaid] Reverse:[reverse Collector's PriceCode: [collector's pricecode] description]. [Turn] Current Valuation: [current valuation] turn, diesrotated Notes (Private): [private notes] [die rotation in Provenance Information degrees]°. [Edge Provenance Information#1 treatment]edge inscribed[edge Provenance Information#2(etc.) PrivateCommentary: [privatecommentary] inscription or markings]. [Condition JMS grading/certification agency][grade] (#[certification number]), [condition comments]. [Other notes/commentary]. 9 Huybrechts Attends Opening of andtechnologyemployedtocreatethevisual effect. Belgium Art Medal Exhibit Huybrecht says that: "Theenamel (byDonaldScarinci) symbolizes theMediterraneanSeawithsome treasures at thebottom. All thepieces Paul Huybrechts, Belgium sculptorand representedwerefoundinthesunkensiteof artist ofthat country’s first ECUcoins was on Canopetotheeast ofAlexandria. Thestatueof handfortheopeningreceptionofIndependence Queenarsinoe11(the finest ofthefinds)shows inMedals: BelgiumSince1830.Theexhibit Greekinfluence andthe godSerapis (onthe openedDecember12,2009at Medialia…Rack right)is inacompletelyHellenisticstyle."v &HamperGalleryinNewYorkCityand will Thoseattendingtheexhibit weretreatedto remainopenthroughJanuary23,2010. It can anotheroneofMaschico’s outstanding beviewedonline atwww.medialiagallery.com. catalogs. This onecontains anintroductionby ContemporaryBelgianart medals havea Luc Vandamme whichoutlines thehistoryof distinctivelyinternational theme. As a theBelgium medal and creates the framework sculptor,Paul Huybrechts is thevoiceof fortheexhibit. Belgium totheworldinthe21stCentury. Vandammedivides thehistoryofthe Manyofhis medals areonexhibit. Belgium medal intofour periods. Thefirst,the Highlights ofHuybrechts’workinclude engravedmedals, 1830-1890,explains how his collaborationwithElizabethJones in1992 KingLeopold Icommissionedartists tocreatea foramedal commemoratingthe500th senseofnationalism aftertherevolutionof AnniversaryoftheDiscoveryofAmerica. 1830,whenthenationwas formed. He Huybrechts sculptedthe obversewhichshows a explains that Leopoldusedmedals to Spanish caravanheadingwest across the commemoratethehistoryofthenewnation, horizon.Jones sculptedareverseshowing whichhadsuccessivelybeenapart ofAustria, COBE“Discoveryof fluctuations incosmic FranceandtheNetherlands.vi background,” representingpresent day Vandammeexplains Belgium’s America. internationalism succinctlyinthefirst AcommissionHuybrechts wonas a paragraphofhis introduction. Hesays, result ofaninternational competitionproduced “Indeed, aninhabitant in his fifties in1830had theofficial medal forEuropaliaMexico’93. successivelybeenanAustrian,aFrenchman This medal shows Mexicoonthereverseand a andaDutchman. Howwas hesupposedtofeel nativeinMayandress ontheobserve as a Belgianall of asudden?”vii tributetotherichhistoryandcultureofthat Machico’s exhibit includes theworkof country. artists likeAdolpheJouvenel,Julien Leclercq SomeofHuybrechts’morerecent work andCharles Weiner,toillustratetheskill of ondisplayincludedSunkenTreasures of Egypt, Belgianartists. Theirmedals portraythe sculptedin2007. This medal employs blue monarchyandother great peopleofthenew enamel beneathapolishedlacqueredsurface, nation. whichgives thepieceadreamlikequality. The Thesecondperiod,the“BelleEpoque,” creativepatinationenhances themedal’s 1890to1915,accordingtoVandamme,“gave subject,therecoveryoflong-lost Egyptian sculptors theopportunitytowriteamajor artifactsfoundintheMediterraneanSea a year periodofhistorythrough medals.”viii Art orso earlier. This medal celebrates adiscovery nouveauflourishedinParis, andBelgian artists ofinternational significanceand contrasts the weretrainedandinfluencedthere. However, art ofthepast,representedbytheEgyptian theyproducedmedals withdistinctlyBelgian statutes, withtheverymodernuseofpatination subjects. 10