Exonumia Auction - Maine Antique Digest

in its talons. Rx: Open wreath enclosing engraved inscription:GENERAL/ CHEMISTRY. (E)Lot 1425Lot 14241424. BRONZE PLAQUE OF A WOMAN WEARING A BONNETT, 1898.10 ½ x 7 3/4:” Cast Bronze. Undecipherable signature and date1841 at bottom center. Incused signature of HENRY BONNARDBRONZE CO./ FOUNDERS, N.Y. 1898. Integral loop and ring forsuspension on the reverse. Extremely Fine. High relief bust facingleft of a middle-aged woman wearing a colonial style bonnet. Theartist’s signature is dated 1841, but the Bonnard mark dates theplaque to 1898. (E)1425. PORTRAIT PLAQUE OF HENRY WARD BEECHER (?), ND. 15¼" Foundry Cast Bronze with a deep, saddle-brown patina and ahigh, three step rim. J.B. Daley, Sc. About Uncirculated. The bust isin very high relief with textured surfaces. The artist’s signature is atright, above the shoulder. Four heavy-duty screw posts, intendedfor background affixing, appear on the back.This handsome plaque appeared recently in a major numismaticauction where the subject was identified as Archbishop JohnCarroll. When we first received it, and before we were told of its priorid, we immediately thought it looked like other medallic renditionswe have seen of Henry Ward Beecher, the Congregationalistclergyman, social reformer and abolitionist. We could find noinformation at all on the sculptor, J.B. Daly, that might shed anylight on the identity of the subject. While we would hesitate to betthe house that this is a portrait of Henry Ward Beecher, we feelPlease bid early.You would be surprised at the number of lots thathave tie high bids. Of course, the first bidreceived is awarded the lot!Henry Ward Beecherconfident that it is not John Carroll. (F-G)Lot 14261426. BALTIMORE AND OHIO RAILROAD SERVICE MEDAL, (1900).25.4mm x 25.4mm with rounded corners. Copper. Red Unc. Obv:BALTIMORE/ AND/ OHIO RAILROAD/ view of locomotive travelingright. Below: SERVICE MEDAL. Rx: ENGINEER/ TWENTY FIVE/YEARS/ SERVICE.According to an article in the July 31, 1900 NY Times, nearly 500B&O engineers were to be awarded these small service medals,made in ten classes. Those with 50 years employment were toreceive gold medals and those with 45 years of service were to begiven silver medals. The others were to be given bronze medalswith a different reverse for each 5 years of service.The locomotive depicted on the obverse was Engine No. 12313which was in service on the Royal Blue Line between New Yorkand Washington. Rare – the first we have seen. (E)195H