George H. Lovett's Presidential Residence Series
After the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 George H. produced this
series of medalets depicting the first sixteen presidents of the United
States and their homes. These were not produced as a set, as he did with
his Battle Series, but individually for sale to the public. Most
references I have seen state that these were struck in bronze, at fifty
cents each, and white metal, at five cents each. But a fixed price list
catalogue of John K. Curtis, dated 1862, list copper, at 50 cents each,
bronze, at 60 cents each, and white metal, at 25 cents each. Judging by
the relative numbers of these that appear for sale it seems the later in
the series these were the fewer that were produced. Could it have been
they just did not sell very well?
The
Washington and Lincoln varieties were the only ones produced in metals
other than bronze or white metal, or muled with other dies. Rulau, in
"Medallic Portraits of Washington" list silver, copper, bronze, white
metal (with both reeded and plain edges) for the Washington Residence
examples. Sullivan, in "American Political Badges and Medalets" states
the Lincoln Residence was struck in silver. His AL 1860-26 is a muling
of the Lincoln Residence obverse with the obverse for a Lincoln campaign
medalet; he list silver, copper, brass, and white metal examples.
Silvered
white metal examples exist for several of the varieties and I suspect
they were silvered after striking by individuals other than George H..
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| I have been able to subject some of the "copper alloy" pieces to xray flouresence which gives a very precise indication of their composition. The Washington example with 97% copper probably can be called bronze; the others appear to be copper with impurities even though they do have the brown color usually associated with bronze. |
George Washington
FIRST OBVERSE
GW-304, Baker 113, silver, 36mm
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(image courtesy of Stacks Bowers)
GW-304, Baker 113A, copper (99.73% copper, .2% zinc), 36mm
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GW-304, Baker 113B, bronze( 97.18% copper, 2.78% zinc), 34.7mm
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GW-304, Baker 113C, white metal, 36mm
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Baker and Musante unlisted, silvered white metal, 36mm
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(image courtesy of Ty Gemberling)
SECOND OBVERSE
GW-305, Baker unlisted, white metal, 36mm
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(composite image)
This second obverse is listed in Baker but only in combination
with a blank reverse. An example with the Washington Residence
reverse is in the Massachusetts's Historical Society collection.
GW-306, Baker 113G, white metal, 36mm
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GW-307, Baker unlisted, white metal, 36mm
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(image courtesy of Heritage Auctions)
Neil Musante in Medallic Washington says this was "perhaps intended
as a soldier's award medal that was never adopted" but this example,
engraved to L.D. Hadlock , appears to be a dog tag. This reverse
is also found with the reverse below and seems to have been used
as Civil war dog tags also.
GW-308, Baker 216, DeWitt GMcC 1864-8(E), bronze, 36mm
IMAGE NEEDED
GW-308, Baker 216F, DeWitt GMcC 1864-8(E), white metal, 36mm
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John Adams
Bronze, 36mm
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White metal, 36mm
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Silvered white metal, 36mm
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| The Old House, built in 1731 in Quincy, MA, became the residence of the Adams family for four generations from 1788 to 1927. It was home to Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams; First Ladies Abigail and Louisa Catherine Adams; Civil War Minister to Great Britain Charles Francis Adams; and literary historians Henry and Brooks Adams. |
Thomas Jefferson
Bronze, 36mm
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White metal, 34.8mm
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James Madison
Bronze, 36mm
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White metal, 36mm
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| The Montpelier Estate, near orange Va., was purchased by the Madison family in 1723. James's father built a two story brick house on the land in 1762. The Tuscan portico and additional rooms were added to the house after James and Dolly joined the elder Madisons in 1794. Further renovations were carried out after his presidency with a new kitchen and entrance being added. |
Madison / Jackson mule, white metal, 36mm
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I purchased this piece from Steve Hayden in July of 2022 and not sure what
to make of it. Although George H. was in the habit of randomly putting together
dies to create all sorts of rarities this is the only one I have ever seen
from this series. The weight and size are correct for white metal pieces
in this series. The color is a bit unusual for white metal and part of
the reverse rim has the look of a wire rim.
A second example of this muling, in white metal, was in the Heritage
Sale of the DeWitt Collection, October 15, 2022.
James Monroe
99.65% copper, .2% nickel, other trace metals, 36mm
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White metal, 36mm
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| James Monroe, fifth president of the United States, began building the imposing house at Oak Hill during his first term as president. It was here that he worked on the Monroe Doctrine and here he retired in 1825. |
John Quincy Adams
99.72% copper, .16% nickel, other trace elements, 36mm
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White metal, 34.8mm
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Silvered white metal, 34.9mm
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Andrew Jackson
Bronze, 36mm
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White metal, 36mm
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Silvered white metal, 36mm
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(on line image)
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| The property known as the Hermitage began with a 425 acre purchase and by his death in 1845 had grown to over 1000. The first hermitage mansion was a modest Federal style home built in 1819 through 1821. In 1834 a fire destroyed the entire second story and damaged much of the rest of the structure. The entire structure was rebuilt in 1836 in the Greek Revival style we see today. |
Martin Van Buren
Bronze, 36mm
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White metal, 36mm
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Silvered white metal, 35mm
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Martin Van Buren obtained the estate
he called Lindenwald in 1839, outside the town of Kinderhook New York
where he was born and raised. The original structure was built in 1797
as a red brick Georgian style home but later renovations during his life
turned it into an Italian villa.
William Henry Harrison
99.54% copper, .32% nickel, other trace elements, 36mm
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White metal, 36mm
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Silvered tin( 85.53% tin, 13.86% silver), 34.9mm
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John Tyler
Bronze, 36mm
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White metal, 34.8mm
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Jame Tyler purchased this plantation one mile west of Charles
City, Virginia in 1842 while serving as president. Considering himself
a bit of an "outlaw President" he renamed it Sherwood Forest.
He lived here till he died in 1862 and the home is still owned by his
descendants.
James K. Polk
Bronze, 36mm
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White metal, 34.8mm
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James Polk purchased this home in Nashville Tennessee in 1847
while serving as President. He came here at the end of his term and
died here June 15, 1849. His widow occupied it till her
death in 1891. It was purchased by a local developer in 1900 who
demolished it to build a small apartment house.
Zachary Taylor
Bronze, 34.9mm
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White metal, 36mm
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1st Department of Army of the Southwest. At this time he
purchased this home near Baton Rouge and moved his family here.
Millard Fillmore
Copper, 34.8mm
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White metal, 36mm
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| Millard Fillmore purchased this house at 190 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY in 1831 with his wife Abigail. After leaving office he returned to Buffalo and took up residence here until 1858. The exterior was renovated sometime before 1915 but was later demolished. |
Franklin Pierce
Bronze, 36mm
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White metal, 34.8mm
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Franklin Pierce homestead, Hillsborough, New Hampshire,
circa 1922
James Buchanan
Copper alloy (99.68% copper, .22% platinum), 34.9mm
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Copper alloy (99.46% copper, .32% platinum, .17% zinc), 34.8mm
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White metal, 36mm
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| James Buchanan's home from the age of eighteen had been the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania and in 1848 he purchased this twenty-two acre estate, known as Wheatfield, located about one mile outside town. This was his home when he was not occupying an official residence in London or Washington. |
Abraham Lincoln
Silver, 36mm
IMAGE NEEDED
Bronze, 36mm
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White metal, 34.8mm
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