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GEORGE WASHINGTON CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS, 1889. Two commemorative items produced for the centennial of George Washington's inauguration: image 1
GEORGE WASHINGTON CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS, 1889. Two commemorative items produced for the centennial of George Washington's inauguration: image 2
Lot 2

GEORGE WASHINGTON CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS, 1889.
Two commemorative items produced for the centennial of George Washington's inauguration:

14 October 2020, 13:00 EDT
New York

Sold for US$1,083.75 inc. premium

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GEORGE WASHINGTON CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS, 1889.

Two commemorative items produced for the centennial of George Washington's inauguration:
1. ST. GAUDENS, AUGUSTUS. 1848-1907. AND PHILIP MARTINY. 1858-1927. Commemorative medallion, 1889, cast bronze, 115 mm diameter, featuring half-length bust of Washington in left profile on the obverse, and eagle with spread wings over commemorative inscription on reverse. Minor wear.
2. Commemorative "hatchet" form decoration, uniface, undated (but 1889), cast aluminum, 130 x 300 mm, featuring a bust of Washington on the hatchet head, and the inscription "Washington Inaugurated President Of The US - Apr. 30. 1789" on the handle.

St. Gaudens designed the medal in the winter of 1888-1889 and turned over the sculpting duties to his assistant, Martiny. 2,000 of the medals were cast by the Gorham Manufacturing Company. The hatchet decoration is a reference to the story of Washington as a boy, confessing to his father that he used his new hatchet to damage his father's cherry tree. The story, illustrative of Washington's innate honesty, is one of his most enduring legends. These decorations are known in other materials, including cast iron and bronze.

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A Presentation Copy of Kennedy's First Book to Spencer Tracy. Kennedy, John F. 1917-1963. Why England Slept. New York: Wilfred Funk, Inc., 1940.

Signed to Spencer Tracy 1952 Hemingway, Ernest. 1899-1961. The Old Man and the Sea, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1952.

CORNELIUS, MATTHEWS, editor. 1817-1889. The Enchanted Moccasins and Other Legends of the American Indians.

CALEPINO, AMBROGIO. 1435-1511. [Dictionarium.] Calepinus Ad librum. Mos est putidas.... Venice: Peter Liechtenstein, January 3, 1509.

HEARN, LAFCADIO. 1850-1904. [Japanese Fairy Tales.] Philadelphia: Macrae-Smith, [But Tokyo: T. Hasegawa,] [c.1931].

HEMINGWAY, ERNEST. 1899-1961. PUTNAM, SAMUEL, translator. Kiki's Memoirs. Paris: Sign of the Black Manikin, 1930.