Circa 1810 Portrait Pin of the Sons of Washington. Gold. Fine. <p>35.0 x 28.0 mm. An oval gold pinback case holds a hand-painted miniature color portrait of George Washington. The pin is lost from the back, though the hinge mount and latch hook remain. Similarly, the crystal is missing from the obverse, allowing removal of the hand-painted portrait. Engraved on the back of the case in large, flowing script is, “SONS / OF / WASHINGTON” with ornamental flourishes left and right of center. <p><p><p>The Sons of Washington were a group of young Federalists, mentioned in this July 9, 1810 piece in Philadelphia’s <em>The United States Gazette</em>:<p><p><p>“‘SONS OF WASHINGTON’<p>On the Fourth of July a society of gentlemen, associated to commemorate the virtues and services of the illustrious George Washington, assembled at the Mansion House; and at half past four sat down to a sumptuous entertainment, prepared with great taste and liberality, by the indefatigable propriety of that Hotel.”<p><p><p>Officers of the organization in attendance were given as “James Milnor, Esq. President, Jonathan Smith and Samuel F. Bradford, Esqs. Vice Presidents.” A decoration at the event was described as follows: “At the other end of the room, was suspended the American Eagle, bearing in its beak, the following motto: ‘Sons of Washington — emulate his glorious example.’” <p><p><p>Another account, in the same paper, reports on formal toasts and exchanges between the Sons of Washington and the Pennsylvania State Society of the Cincinnati, two organizations which clearly maintained a high degree of mutual respect. <p><p><p>“In the evening a deputation from ‘The Sons of Washington’…waited on the Society of the Cincinnati” and a member “delivered the following address:<p><p><p>“Mr. President, <p>And gentlemen of the Cincinnati, We are deputed by a Society of gentlemen, Sons of Washington, assembled at the Mansion House, to congratulate you on the return of this important and memorable day [Independence Day]”<p><p><p>The Society of the Cincinnati reciprocated:<p><p><p>“Mr. President,<p>And gentlemen of this respectable association appropriately designated ‘SONS of WASHINGTON.’<div>As a deputation from the Pennsylvania Society of the Cincinnati, we are instructed to express their grateful sense of the flattering terms, in which you have been pleased to recognize their services in the cause of our common country.” And they offered that the Society had raised a toast in their honor: “‘The “Sons of Washington” — Publick [sic] benefit from their patriotick [sic] institution and individual happiness to its members.’”<div><p><div>An interesting early portrait pin, and one that could easily have been worn during the events described in <em>The United States Gazette</em>, by a genuine early American Patriot. From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Purchased from Tom Rinaldo, May 2009.
