Cast and hand-chased copy of theWashington Before Boston medal (ca. late 19th century). Musante GW-Unlisted,Baker-49M. Silver. Crowned SR, Crown, and 800 in three individual punches on edge. Extremely Fine.<p>67.2 mm, 2620.9 grains. This is a most interesting piece, apparently unique, plated in the Rulau-Fuld revision of <em>Medallic Portraits of Washington,</em>and once in the care of the ANS. As noted above, this seems to have been cast in 800 Fine silver, then chased to smooth out the roughness which remains visible in the recesses around the legends, the deeper areas of the portrait, and through the more finely designed areas of the reverse motifs. The surface is pale golden silver. Upon first glance, the work seems to be fairly well done, but close inspection reveals rough, seemingly amateurish work in the finer details. <p><p><p> <p>Without explanation, this piece was attributed to the 1830sby Rulau and Fuld, and assigned a European origin, the latter likely due to the seemingly European-style edge marks. This detail seems to have been correct, as we have found these marks in an online database of pseudo-marks of German silversmiths, specifically of Hanau. The mark is attributed to Simon Rosenau, of Bad Kissingen, (1839-1920) who was active in the trade by 1862. It is stated that he had an office in Paris, in addition, and that his son, Hermann Simon Rosenau (b.1861) took over his business in the 1890s and “started selling antique silverware in the Hanau style,” continuing in operation until his own retirement in 1932. The firm is reported to have exhibited at the 1893Columbian Exposition in Chicago. There is no indication as to when specifically this piece might have been made, so we have tentatively dated it, but it is clear that the former assertion that it is from the 1830s is not correct. It may have been made in Germany, or in Paris, as this too is uncertain. Hermann Simon Rosenau is said to have resided in Munich after his retirement, and then later in Paris. Unfortunately, he was removed from Paris during the Nazi Occupation on October 28th, 1943, and sent to Auschwitz. <strong><p></strong><p><strong><p> </strong>As stated above, this piece is presumed to be unique and with what is now known of its history, it is much more than a curious forgery. Why the Rosenaus might have made it, or for whom, does remain a mystery.From the Collection of Marc McDonald. Earlier ex ANS (1919);Wayte Raymond; George Fuld; Del Bland; Lucien LaRiviere, Bowers and Merena, November 1999, lot 3043; Presidential Coin and Antique, June 2011, lot 144.<p>
