New-York tribune. [volume], December 05, 1897, Image 26

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

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OLD CAMPAIGN MEDALaS.
INTKUKSTIN?. PRECURSORS OF TIIK
BADGE AND TUB BUTTON.
TIIEIi: VALUE AS lI.M'STRATINi. PHASE.-' 0
POlalTICAL UlSTORT Mil KABRIS
Rim ?-OT.LEi^TION.
"United Stat?*? History SS Illustratili hy Its
Political Medals" was tha nul?j?-ot <>f ? paper j
Which Andrew C. Zabriskio read last wok be?
fore th?? American Numismatic ami Arcbaokag?
leal Boclety, of which h?? is president Mr Za- j
hi ?ski? hn;; given spot ial atwnlion to tho polit- j
leal medal? of this country and has a remark- :
ably full collection ut thorn. They dato hack
to the year 1828, when Andrew Jackson was ?
elected President, the fust candidato for whom
campaign medals were struck. Mr. Zafcriskie \
has Hind in hi.??, collecting tn gel toi-eth't all the
old medals which were used in former cam?
paigns to arouse enthustasm for the candidati ?;.
Most of these are rare, the dies having been
lost or destroyed, and In the devices and In?
scriptions which they bear are preserv?sd many
of th?? old-time campaign slogans win? h are
How alinosi forgi '? ?.
The medal? wer? the predecessors of Ihe pres?
ent rosettes and buttons with which the market
Is flooded. Il mus; l?? admitted lhal the change
la not an Improvement so far as elthei artisti?
merli "i Interesl Is cone mod, for the ncenea
pictured In ih? old medal and the "catchy"
phrases tvhl h accompanied them wer? usually
exl emel; clever. Th? medali have haJ periods
??: populara) md oth? r perioda <>f ?.???.? ? :. When
politi. ij excitement In s campaign ran high
Ihe output of mcda-la a*aa a m pondinplj large,
The devices at such limes wer? also more
vigorous ami pointed.
The Jackson medal, . of lb? oldest In Mr.
SZabriskie's collection, la p ? hlKgei than ?? nickel
ii\?-??nt pie ??. .mo Ii mal? of brasa II ha? .?
queer-looking bust of Jackson on tl.bverse,
and on ih? reverse th? words, "Th? Nation'?
i'ride."
A large medal struck for Martin Van Buren
It. IKW ?- made of lead. I; has a busi ot Van
Buren on Ihe obverse ovor which la Inscribed,
' M Van Buren." On Ihe revers? li a ??
of Liberty, >??1? Ihe words "Democra? and
< mir Country."
Vati Buren ligure? again li on? of ih< Whig
in? dal- for ??'turai Ilari"-? I) In l1-!??. for .1
was ?|???!?? as tini? h the fashion G??? .? |? ?' ??
satirise II ? candidai? a*? ?? prals?
? ' n The mi dal t- '? rred to I ? smi II on? of
brass It, has a miliari' busi ??' Han p on
th? obverse, v..iti thi Im riptlon "M.m Oen W
Il Harrison B? rn I?'? Ij ?, 17 7 : i Th? revei e
!.. ars ? (?. ??.? of a steamboat, flying ?? Hag
marked "IMI Thi one I ? ntlll? ? St? em?
boa! Van Bur? ? L. ? ?? ? Line foi .-' ? ?
River Direct." The title of th? lln? Is thi m?k
name bestow?pd at lhal lime l?j I heir opponenti
upon th< H'ual right? ?? radical section ol Ihe
Democrats party There were varkra other
Harrison medal?, som. ol copper end sonn of
brass, ih?? former metal being the rarer. One
of th?s? ha- th. usual bust on Ihe Olivers? and
or. th?? reverse a spread-eagle with s ??t???? in
Its'mouth, which read? (Jo It, Tip.' Another
scroll beton ha* the corollary '/Com? I Tj p
"Tippecanoe and Tyler, loo!" the melodlou cry
of th? Whigs at this time, is perpetuated on
?tut.ih?-r medal and so, likewise, ? Ihe fart
that ih" u?*' a "log cabin and hard ? ni? t cam?
paign." The latter truth n* sel forth bj means
of a picture showing Ihe traditional cabin, with
an aasairtmenl bt smell elder i.arr??? lyi y on
th< ground n< at L>
MANV MRDAfafl POH "LAV
The medals mad? f-.t Henry Claj ????? perhaps]
more numerous than those foi any ?ueci-aaful I
candidate One ??? them Is Included In lh list
<.f "lying medal? those ?* im h w< re struck ??? ?
for? hand ??. commemorate an event which nevei
took pia? " li is of bras? and hears an ex?
tun,, ly cheerful-lrtoklng head ol Claj with this
?oniii'-ni inscription ? li?un. flay, Elected
Presiden! \ D ??4 I Th? p ?? rs. ha ?? pli t ;
un ?-f Clay as a youth on horseback neai an I
old mill Above it ia this legend "The Mill Boy
of th? Washes, Inaugurated March 4 IRt.V' a.
k-ad medal hai ? bust of Claj ?>n tie obverse, !
and on tin? .-? '??. r.*-? a Scene of factorie? and ?
Min Tie picture Is labelled "Th?? wealth ?.f a
nation I? indicated by its Industrj Anothei
very small had in? dal has the bUSl and "Kor
President" on the obverse and ?>? the reverse
ih? poetical prophecy, "Htnry Claj ?ill carry
tn? Dai stili another ?'lay medal baa on tht ?
ri-ver-?? :: popular vVhlg expression of Ihe lime, '
"That Sam. Old < O?m " All these medals ????Ioni' |
to IMI. the last ?.f th?? campaigns which Clay
mad??, ami in which he was defeated b) James I
? r??lk
Tin- campaign medals issued for Za< hsry Tay?
lor in ixi?*? were chiefly commemorative ?.f hist
militar.! servie?**, fin?? of them has <?ti Its face
a bust ?if Taylor, lAtth ih?? Inscription, "Major-I
Denterai Zachary Tailor, born 17!W. tin th?J
lack 'ar? th? i\<.rds in Honor ?>f th?? Hero ?if I
l'alo Ait?.. Risaia d? la l'alma. Monterey ami ?
Buena Vista." Another brass medal, similar In |
ftyle, has practically th?? Ham?? obverse, ami on !
ine reverse is this sentence: "Geni Taylor Never
Bur renders." Th?? words are in a circle, In
closing Ike names of th?? batti?? mentioned ?in
lh?? Other in? dal.
When Bcott was running ss ih? Whig candi?
tale for Presiden! in ?HTC? a brass medal wa?
ft ne k for him. It bore ?>n th?? obverse. "Major
Peneral WtofleM Bcott, D s a ," ?>\aa- a military
bust. Th?? ???????G.*??< snowed a battle scene, with a
wairior pr? si ? ate and others bending over him.
Above it wer?? the words "Scott Wounded," and
below il "Lundy's Lane."
Many Interesting medals were issued in l.S(JO.
when Lincoln was th?? Ib-pulilican candidai??. ?
handsome one of broftM has <?n Its face a bust
of Lincoln, surrounded by small stars llelow
are the words: "Abraham Lincoln, Republican
Candidate for President, is?"???." on Ihe other
ride is an octagon, forimd of Intersecting p??r
ti??ns of a rail fence, with the Inscription in the
centre: "Tb.? Great Uail-Splitbr of the \V?et
Musi and Shall It?? ( ?ur N?-xt President."
Th?? nain?; Id? a is shown in another larger,
thick brasa medal of Lincoln, which has on the
revers?? a picture of th? young man engaged
in splitting a l"g <>f wood n< ar a rail fence.
Aboye it is ins?. rib?-d. "Th. Rail-Splitbr of |i<}0."
THK VALUE OF MEDALS.
All th? s t"? dais ;ind many others of the same
Btyf? are valuable DOW only in proportion to
their rarity, but even with this ? ??nsideration the
pri??? which they ?sill bring at any given time is
uncertain. This i??? well illustr?t"! I>y an eX
perience which Mr. Zabriskie bad in trying t<?
buy one of the "Wide-Awake" badges w hi? h
w.T?? worn in th.? liais in INW. Tbe badge n-as
off.?!??! ai :i certain sale, and Mr Zabriskie'?
agent was authorized to pay 92 for it. To his
util r astonishment, ih?? prtr?? was bid up by two
A OROrr OF AMERICAN POLITICAL MKDAL8.
(Prom the ?ollertion of Andrew ?'. Zabriakle.)
other men who wen after the bad?.,?? unni it
finally wenl lo on? of them for ?*?- ? couple
of years lai ? Ihe same badge was again of
fcred ??.? sal?, and tins lime Mi /al. 11; kl? gol
it foi $1 "<?' So far as h? RltOWS, it Is Ih?- Otti)
one m the market, and In conalder? that be ????
a bargain
Th?? selene? ?.f numismatic? has been Injured
by th? recen I striking from old dies of medal?
win? h ai?? absurd ami Impossible comblnstlona
l'Or instan???, a medal ha.* been mad??, th? <d>
verse of ?hi? h Bupport? Van Buren ami ih?? r??
vi-rse Harrison It ??as done I.y mixin?.? Up th??
two ?li??." Himllarly, a medal with a bust of
I.in? olii <??? on? si?l?? has a picture of th? old
Dutch Church in Nassau st.. Neu York, oti tile
other. Tin i?i? a of tb?? makers in producing these
nieaninirhss cnmblnstions was I?. en-ate rar??
mu?ais, and In som?? caws, where only a f?\s
wer?? st u? k. this has been accompllahed. Mut
ih?? prarttee Is deplored by all eollertore, sin?
il tends !.. make th? subj??? I ridi? uloua.
THF SECRET OUT.
Proni Th? Cincinnati Enquirer
He I am astonished, not io sal shocked, that
you should uphold so Liutai a sport as football.
Sh? - Well, you horrid nun won't allow us to
go to priseflghts?.
HISTORIC JEWELS.
BARBET AND MOST WONDERFUL 01018
IN Till: WOULD IN BNOLAND.
From The Pall Mall (?aiette.
The Boats Kensington Museum, in London,
contains what is probably the n,??st remarkable
collection of historic riiiKs in the world. In this
most exquisite and perfectly arranged of all
tresaure-houses, th?? troth ef Irings, the romance
and tragedy of famous lives. gives a k?'?-n p?*r
Bonal Intere?! t?> the cas? s ttlitd with Rems that
ar?? both royal in th? msclves and have been
made roysl by the touch of royalty.
Amid the clasp???! hands and true-lovers knot?
WS tlnd ?me lined with tl <? Scottish arms, hav?
ing on th? seni the ?-tters M. II.?Mary and
Henry?the aeddlng rinu of Mary. Queen of
Scots and Henry Darnli-y. The name of Mary
Stuart always tin ills, but her lovelin? ss we can?
not (rather from any of her authentic portraits
in th?? national galleries. W? must conclude
that some ?race <?f expression that could n??t
I??? caught ??? ?anv;t: huh bat ?'harm.
in black ami white enamels on cold, with
hexsgnnsl betel, we und th?? mournful token
Riven bv Charles I <>n the day ??f his ex?cution
to Bishop Juxon. ? hideous, monkeylike skull
urbis m ili.? rentre, surround?*d by the Inscrip?
tion, "1!? ?lobi Ih? Kndi- -"! ami around th?? out
; ??.?. ? Kather Deth Than Pals Fayth."
Th?? silver wedding ring of Rlensl brings to
mind a strange and glorloua conjunction I once
Ban at a loan exhibition for some charity in
Hom?'. when Vatican ami Qulrinal ami manj a
noble lions? had for Ihe moment yielded their
treasures Arnind ? small spa???? in ihe centre,
whore the King and Queen received ihelr guests,
were grouped the coronation r??l??'s of Napoleon,
ih?? torn blanke! of Garibaldi and th?? wonder
ful dalmatic of Charlemagne, which promt
Hi. n/.i won? when he entered lt<>m<?
Mut t?? return t?< our gems: on?? ring says.
"Never to Im forgotten 2d of January, 1777."
Dues any on?? still remember?
With ni th?? hair-ring period <>f mourning has
given way to tin? stll. more dangerous jetted
Mercury-winged window, ami we have n<> us?*
for th.? rings hollowed nut like little bottles, to
contain Ihe tears which were a coquetry "f an?
cien! tinea Certainly Riling these was not as
difficult a task as that pi ? s? rih.-d in lh?? savage
country ?Irani Allen Iella us of. when- the be?
reaved an- obliged lo weep until they lili a bottle
of certain si/..?, ami if they cannot are beaten
until they ????.
Tin Inscription "<'?><l Help Maria'" makes us
wondrt who th*? donor could hav?? been.
Among Ihe wedding riiins Is a lype that should
liei..ine fashionable in America, for it l.nids a
In art and a roronct,
Simpler folk say:
"As God Deterred,
Bo we agreed";
or. "<;?i?l hath?? WTOUghl this choice in th????.
So frani?? thyself to eomfourth in??"
Chaste ami simple is this "A Faithful Wife
Preserveth Life"; more sbrani ami brutal was
the adinniillion, "<;bs? rv?? Wedlock "
A Jewinli wedding rlnfr. with irreat b?sela lifts
from the hand In full relief the model ?>f th.*
holy taberna? U. of the Ai k ?>f the Covenant.
"Honnie Prince Charlie" smiles from a beauti?
ful miniature, and near by Is the ideal of a
lovers' ring, an enamelkd BgUN tt cupld with
spread wings carrying off a ruby heart, and tho
legend: "Stop Thief:"
The great Merovingian and Saxon rings are
among tb?? rarest in the world. Seven hundred
dollar? was paid by the Museum for th?? bent
and broken on?: of Arbstan, Hishop of Sher
btirne.
"Iconographie" rings hold figures or portraits
of saints in the Russian style. Others are reli
?juari-s for bits of th?* true cross or fragments
of saintly toe-bones, while one represents Mary
Magdalene being carried to heaven by four an?
gels, (?ne, form???! to Ilfteen small crosses, waa
found on the fingers of a skeleton: it had no
power to stay th?? hand of death.
Of great antiquity are the Roman keyrings,
used to keep the keys of precious chests or ?iasks
ever at hand, and which In Middle Ages secured
the cumbrous iron "virtue lock" that husbands
fastened on their wives before poing to battle.
Of mystic rings there are many?the mediaeval
circlet of "Incantation," the charmed "toad
stitn??," an?l the South German silvet set with
wolfa teeth.
A long collln-shaped ring with three cam?*OS,
the centre one representing Cleopatra holding
the asp to her heart, is almost identical with
one always worn by Cheiro. of palmist fame.
An ancient Venetian of three chains, hold?
ing a revolving turquoise, brown with age, is
engraved en one side s?l?h a Venus Anady
omene and on the other with u Onostlc cypher.
A.-nid more costly gems the tuniuolse holds ita
own with strange persisten?*?, one great tur
quolse cameo ??f the Rape of Pros arpi?e in this
collection is almost hugs enough to cover the
back of the hand, and there are some beau?
tiful examples of tin's?? inluiil with Persian in?
scriptions,
In thumb rings the most splendid fare those
given by th?? Popes t?> cardinals?though they
?lid no! always accompany the searlet bat, and
Wolsey's grenl snxlety les! a ring should n?>t
be sent with his preckMia head-cov?-ring stands
recorded. of heroic size, tiny stand up several
inches from th?? hand, and, <>f course, would lie
i4o???l in effect only when worn with massive
vesture. Usually they arc Ml in brass or bronze,
with gnat cabo? h??ns, <r un? ut stones. One
With th?? lion of St Mark in alto is crest.d with
greenish ehalcedony; those most prised hold a
rough emerald ?>r ?*abocbon ruby. Thumb rings
of a m?.t?? painful sort ere the "thumbkins," or
thumbcuffs, used to hold tb?? ihiiinbs of prle
? nera while their clothes were being cut from
them. The example of South KesitBlngtan waa
found behind Ihe panelling ?>f an old sixteenth
century house.
Th?? "pussle" rings i.??rd Lytton used to ? har
acterise as "Ingenious stupidity." The baroque
penrla of th?? Virgin del 1'ilar and the gr?>
t. s? ? m m of little jewelled inen and animals are
unlngesdoue stupidity.
The collei'tlon is rich in superb cameo heads
??f those whom art has immortalized?in (?reek
and Roman Intaglili that in finest Unes picture
the loves nnd the woes of th? gods; but be?
fore the wealth ?>f precious stones the pen falls
helpless, us w? hav?? n<? aib-iiuatc words foe
these nasaline harmonies?