A few weeks ago I was looking through some antique stores and came across this medal, well anyways I had to have it. I asked the dealer if it had any provenance, and how he acquired it, He said that he bought it and 5 others from Ezekiel Jewett's estate. http://www.rindgehistoricalsociety.org/?page_id=131 The below excerpt taken from http://www20.us.archive.org/stream/twentiethcentur43unkngoog/twentiethcentur43unkngoog_djvu.txt JEWETT, Ezekiel, soldier and scientist, was born in Rindge, N.H., Oct. 16, 1791. His father was a physician, and the boy was educated in the common school. At the opening of the war of 1812 he enlisted, and was commissioned lieuten- ant in the 11th U.S. infantry, serving in the brigade of Gen. Winfield Scott in the battles of Lundy 's Lane, Chippewa, and Fort Erie. He was commended by General Scott for distinguished bravery at Fort Erie. He crossed the South American continent from Buenos Ayres to join the Revolutionary army in Chili, S.A., in 1814, where he volunteered liis services to Gen. J6s6 Miguel de Carrera. He was given command of a regiment of lancers, and later of the entire cav- alry force. On the defeat of the Revolutionists at Rancagua, Oct. 2, 1814, he fled with Carrera to Buenos Ayres, and accompanied him to the United States in 1815. He lived in New Hamp- shire, 1818-26, and pursued his studies in the natural sciences. He was in the quartermaster's department of the U.S. army, and commanded at Fort Niagara, N.Y., 1826-43, where he continued his ethnological studies, making a collection of material pertaining to the American aborigines. He removed in 1843 to Lockport, N.Y., where he gave his entire time to the study of geology, and in this connection traveled throughout Central America and the United States, gathering one of the finest collections of geological specimens in existence. He spent some months in California in 1849, investigating the mineral deposits along the coast, both for his own study and interest and for an English mercantile house. He was curator of the State museum at Albany, N.Y., 1856-66, and from 1866 spent his time in travel in California and the southern and western states. He also, at the suggestion of Agassiz, organized a summer school in geology, .which he continued four years. He was corresponding member of the California Academy of Sciences. He gath- ered one of the finest collections of coins and medals in the United States, 1859-64, and was also a student of conchology, making an interest- ing collection of shells while on the Pacific coast. He gave his ethnological collection to the Smithsonian Institution, and his geological col- lection to Cornell university. He was mar- ried, in 1819, to Elizabeth Arnold, of Westmor^ land, N.H., who died in 1862, and he then accom- panied his daughter, Mrs. A. A. Boyce, to Cali- fornia. He received the degree of Ph.D. from Hamilton college, in 1862. He died at Santa Barbara, Cal., May 18, 1877. The Medal below is usually seen in White metal, Copper 64.8 G 52mm I also got to see a possible third specimen of a Elizabeth Arnold Jewett Memorial Medal, struck by George H possibly 1 of three in existence the other 2 are in the ANS collection here is a photo of the medal. sorry it's in an email.
Thanks I thought the medal was awesome in it's own right. But to know that it has been held in its original case for the past 157 years, is remarkable.
It would be fun to collect stuff like that if one had space and a neat cabinet to put it all in. I lack all of that and keep my stuff in a slab box inside a safe deposit box, so I can't go for the bigger pieces like that.
Nice addition @Pickin and Grinin. I love the write up and the explanation of the provenance. Great post. Ezekiel Jewett sounds like a fascinating guy.
FWIW, I have 200-300 medals from the 19th century, and only about two dozen come with their original presentation cases. I suspect that most never had a case to begin with because many of the designers of these medals had to foot the bill, themselves. Chris
I edited the text in the original post. For some reason The link does not work, but it was taken from The Twentieth century dictionary of Notable Americans. @Curtisimo it was a pleasure to read up on some of our history. My son(10), said that he learned about him in school last year.
That is truely an amazing Medal. Museum quality piece. I looked at it for like 5 minute the other day when I saw it on another post. The workmanship is an awesome thing to enjoy. I can't recall ever seeing a Unicorn on a coin or Medal of any type. And I thought the Beaver was almost comical to have on a medal about a bridge. Even though it is and old Icon for Canada. Was A.Hoffnung the engraver of this medal, or was it struck by him?
I know this is an old post Pickin and Grinin but saw you had acquired an Elizabeth arnold Jewett medal and was wondering if it is still in your collection? Just trying to get an idea how many are out there.
I am drawing a blank on the medal that you are asking about? Do you have a reference, to help me out?
