1872 Dominion of Canada Indian Chiefs medal. Silver-plated electrotype, as made. Jamieson Fig. 37. Very Fine. 96.6 mm. 5405 grains. Original screw-mount hanger and suspension loop intact. Obv: crowned and veiled bust of Victoria, left, legends around; Rev: Britannia presenting the Charter of Confederation to the four provinces. A broad band is added around, the obverse reading DOMINION OF CANADA / CHIEFS 1872 MEDAL, the reverse, INDIANS OF THE NORTH WEST TERRITORIES, leaving no question as to the purpose of this issue.While undoubtedly magnificent as a freshly made work of medallic art in 1872, these large medals soon failed as their silver plating wore to reveal their base metal cores, and their electrotype shell construction began to fail. This piece is a fine example of one that was awarded and clearly worn. The copper of the obverse and reverse shells is revealed on the high points, and the brass edge band shows its golden hue. There are numerous dents and marks, and a bit of oxidation where the parts were fused at the rim.With this medal it seems that the Government of Canada sought to “wow” the chiefs with a large and impressive medal, but did not understand or fully appreciate that throughout the long tradition of the Native American Peace medal, the recipients had become quite aware of the quality and perceived status of receiving medals struck in solid silver. Indeed, as relayed later in this sale, a Native American delegation visited Washington D.C. in 1890 with a specific request for round silver medals of a specified size (this in response in the U.S. effort to redesign the Peace medals to an oval format). They were so adamant, in fact, that they even offered to pay for them. The United States provided what was asked for.As presented in our 2007 Ford Sale, where another specimen was offered, “no medals were actually distributed as Treaty Medals at the time Treaty One and Treaty Two (and probably Treaty Three) were signed (1871-1873)…Robert Hendery, a Montreal silversmith, was commissioned to produce by electrotype a medal modeled after the Confederation type, and heavily silver plated. This was the original meant for distribution after the fact to signers of Treaty One and Treaty Two (dated 1871). These were not well accepted by their First Peoples recipients…who soon saw through the plating and demanded proper medals from Ottawa as early as October 1873.” The struck silver medals marked INDIAN TREATY No.1 and INDIAN TREATY No. 2 were those replacements. This medal does not seem to have been replaced, however, and as we noted when we last offered it in 2012, “this one holds the title of the most obviously awarded example we have encountered.” Other appearances include Gerald Hart’s in the December 1888 Frossard sale, noted as “never previously offered; of excessive rarity.” There were specimens in both the Hunter sale in 1920, and W.W.C. Wilson’s collection in 1925. Lucien LaRiviere had a very nice one sold by us in 2001. Ford had one without a suspension loop and still others are known to be in the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, and the Archives of Canada in Ottawa. According to Jamieson and Victor Morin, just 25 of these medals were produced. Ex Stack’s Bowers Galleries, August 2012, lot 4114.
