1805 Eccleston Medal. By Thomas Webb, for Daniel Eccleston. Musante GW-88, Baker-85. Bronze. Specimen-61 BN (PCGS).76 mm. A handsome piece that sports steel-olive patina to a base of warmer autumn-brown color. The former is largely confined to the protected areas around the design elements, where it provides an extra sense of relief when viewing. There are no significant marks, although traces of ancient verdigris are noted within the recesses of Washingtons armor, along the profile, among some of the lettering on both sides and, perhaps most noticeably, as a tiny spot on the Native Americans midsection. Under magnification the central reverse in particular is peppered with natural roughness from the cast flan, a typical feature of the Eccleston medals. Nicely struck in bold relief, this is an originally preserved example that delivers strong eye appeal at the assigned grade level.<p>The Eccleston medal is a classic early Washington piece and is beloved for its considerable size, elegant styling and still somewhat unexplained reverse design featuring a Native American and the legend, THIS LAND WAS OURS. Indeed, the intended message of the reverse design coupled with the sentiments toward Washington has been a matter of debate for a long time. Though it is frequently analyzed as sympathetic to the cause of the Native peoples who were becoming increasingly displaced, one must take care to not make judgements on early 19th century motifs through the lens of the present. The general is cuirassed in grand form on the obverse, the unmistakable image of a victor. When coupled with the sentiment of the central reverse, it is worth remembering that Washington himself wrote to the Cherokee to recommend that they essentially learn to live as whites did, for their own prosperity. In 1805, the institution of slavery was legal in the United States and Great Britain, and the British Empire would continue to exploit as many territories and indigenous peoples as possible around the world for decades to come. Native American policy in the United States was no better. This said, the thoughts of any individual might differ vastly from societal norms en vogue at any given time, and the fact that the Native American, the most profound loser of the American Revolution, would be acknowledged at all is probably highly significant. Unfortunately, Eccleston gave no clues in his own presentation letter that he sent to Thomas Jefferson with examples of the medal. In it he simply referred to the entire reverse as bearing "an American Indian with his bow and arrow, and an appropriate legend."
