Exonumia Auction - Maine Antique Digest

Miscellaneous Tokens and Medalswhich organized school and national shooting championships andprepared young people for a military fitness test. Dubois createdother medals for the society using Gloria victis, such as the medalfor the National Rifle Competition at Lyons in 1894. (G)Lot 403403. BRIDGEPORT HIGH SCHOOL BARNUM MEDAL, Ca.1885. 34mm. Bronzed. William Barber, Sc. Uncirculated, withsome minor spots. Obverse with a bust of P.T. Barnum facingleft, signed BARBER on the truncation. Inscribed at top isBARNUM MEDAL. The reverse legend reads: HIGH SCHOOLBRIDGEPORT CONNECTICUT around AWARDED TO/ blankspace/ FOR/ ENGLISH COMPOSITION/ AND/ ORATORY.Copyrighted 1885”. Signed and cast by The Henry BonnardBronze Co. N.Y. 1886. Extremely Fine. Offered here is a largebronze relief of pioneer women in a domestic setting. In thebackground is a hearth with a shelf displaying dishes, powderhorn, candlestick and vase among other things. In front, a youngwoman holding a spoon kneels in front of a fire heating a kettle.To the right of center in the foreground is a standing female figureholding a rifle, her finger on the trigger. To her right are three smallchildren. To the front left of the kneeling figure is a young womanseated at a spinning wheel, a cat curled up at her feet.The sculptor, J.L. Markhan, has left no historical tracks that we canfind. On the other hand, the Bonnard Foundry was one of the mostfamous foundries in the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries. They didquality castings for some of our most famous sculptors includingmany pieces for Frederic Remington. (G)According to researcher, John Sallay, only a few of these medalswere awarded for a short period of two or three years. He illustratesan example dated 1885. Although the medal was designed byWilliam Barber, there is no evidence that it was struck at theUS Mint. Our research has uncovered only one modern auctionoffering of this medal, a Coin Galleries Sale of 4/17/97 where anuncirculated unawarded specimen brought $661.25.Lot 405405. ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AWARDMEDAL, 1887. Harkness Il-55. 49.6mm. Silver. 40.9 grams.Unsigned. Lightly cleaned XF/AU. STATE BOARD OFAGRICULTURE above scene of a seated farmer leaning on a shieldwith emblazoned with the arms of the state amidst agriculturalimplements and farm animals. ILLINOIS in the exergue. Reverseaward inscription within a wreath to: J.C .VAUGHN/ CHICAGO,ILL./ COLLECTION OF BULBS/ 1887/ STATE FAIR.404. PIONEER WOMEN BRONZE PLAQUE, 1886. 19 ¼ x 175/8" Foundry Cast Bronze. 14 lbs. Signed. “J.L. Markham/H112Lot 404 (reduced)In our last sale (#399), we offered an Illinois State Board ofAgriculture medal dated 1877 which had an identical design, butwas from different dies. That medal was signed. R. Kieserling. (F)406. SANGAMON FAIR ASSOCIATION AWARD MEDAL, 1890.Harkness IL-82. 37.9mm. Silver.. XF/ AU. Cleaned. Holed, asissued. Obverse with SFA monogram surrounded by legend: