George H Lovett Gallery Part 3: Ag and Mechanical Society Medals

AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL SOCIETY MEDALS

The only current reference on these medals is Andrew Harkness's

"Agricultural and Mechanical Society Award Medals of The United States".

Unfortunately it is not so much a catalog of these medals as a picture book of his

personal collection. They are pictured actual size, obverse and reverse, with a

catalog number and title. That is it. There is no information on what metal

these are found in, engraver name, etc.. I did purchase the first edition and there

are two more editions which do contain a bit more information but still only

include those in his personal collection.

Connecticut State Agricultural Society Medal

Harkness CT-22, cast bronze -possibly gilt?, 75.4mm

This medal can be attributed to George H. Lovett by the "L" found

on the obverse at the base of the wheat sheaf. It appears to be cast by

the graininess of the surfaces, and the fact that George H. may

not have had the ability to strike a piece this large. I am guessing at

composition since I have not had it tested.

Peoria County Agricultural Society Medal

Harkness Il-75, silver, 30.9mm

Is this the work of George H. Lovett? It has the look of his work but I would not call it definitely his without further evidence.

Minnesota State Agricultural Society Medals

Harkness Mn-40, gilt copper (98.69% copper, 1.31% gold), 51.1mm

The Hennipen County Agricultural Society medal, Mn-20, is identical to this except for the inscription on the reverse. Joe Levine in his Auction 77 had one example of each of these in silver but without the initials G.H.L.. This example has the initials on the obverse in the space just below the figure with the plow.

St. Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Association Medal

Harkness Mo-55, silver, 69.5mm

Unawarded in original case

This is not the same medal that is pictured in Harkness so I have given it

the designation as Mo-55. The most obvious difference on the

reverse die is the direction that the leaves face on the wreath below

the eagle as well as other details. The obverse also has subtle differences

but the reason I am attributing this to George H. Lovett is the "L"

that is found on the bales to the left of the standing figure. I have seen

these medals listed as the work of George H. but none have ever had the

initial as this one does. This seems to be a much scarcer variety than Mo-50

Buffalo Mechanics Institute Medals

Harkness Ny-232, copper nickel (copper 66.7%, nickel 33.3%), 45mm

Awarded to 'Wm Robertson for Silk Hats 1873'

Harkness Ny-232, bronze, 45mm

( image courtesy of ChrisDotCalm )

Harkness Ny-234, bronze, serrated border, 60.25mm
Awarded to 'Young, Law, & Co. for Grey Domestics 1871.

Harkness Ny-234, bronze, smooth border, 60mm

This excerpt from "Transactions of the First International Industrial Exhibition of The Buffalo Mechanics Institute" does credit George H. with engraving the dies - "The dies, from which the medals are struck off, were engraved in steel by George H. Lovett, Esq., 181 Broadway, N. Y.; who, for many years past, has engraved the medals for the various Fairs and Exhibitions throughout this country. The medal executed by him for_the International Industrial Exhibition, for style, neatness of workmanship, accuracy in delineation, etc., is said, by competent judges, to be superior to any medal heretofore executed by him." This does not say which size die. Neither are signed so can we assume he did both? Although at first glance they appear to be identical there are subtle differences indicating two different designs.

Erie County Agricultural Society Medals

Harkness Ny-270, gilt copper?, 31mm

Harkness assigns this to the Erie County Agricultural Society but I am not sure he is correct. Both obverse and reverse have a similar look to Ny-280 but why is there no inscription indicating it was for that organization? Both dies are found paired with the Cincinnatus of America die (Baker 278F and Baker 352) which was the work of George H.. The wreath on the obverse is the same as that used on the Monitor and Merrimac medals.

My guess is that George H. was up to his usual practice of taking two seemingly unrelated dies and striking a medal using them - either to sell at a later date or just to produce another rarity!

Harkness Ny-270, white metal

IMAGE NEEDED

Harkness Ny-280, white metal, 44.8mm

Hicksville Farmers and Mechanics Club

Harkness NY-300, white metal, 45mm

(image courtesy of Jonathan Brecher)

New York State Agricultural Society Medals

Harkness Ny-394, Julian AM-62, gold with original case, 31mm

Julian list the gold version as "uncertain" but a gold example awarded to "F. Nishurtz for Special Premium on Pulverizing Harrow etc." sold in the Presidential Coin and Antique Auction 51, December 1991. And the above example, with original case, is evidence they were struck.

New York State Agricultural Society silk ribbons

Harkness Ny-394, Julian AM-62, silver in original case, 31mm

Harkness Ny-394, Julian AM-62, copper, 31mm

Life Member's silk ribbon for the New York State

Agricultural Society

Union Agricultural Society at Palmyra Medals

Copper, 51mm

(on line image)

This medal is unlisted in the first edition of Harkness and although there

are quite a few that use similar obverse designs none match exactly.

There is no state listed but there is a Union Agricultural Society in

New York that exist and functions to implement the Wayne County Fair.

New Jersey Horticultural Society Medals

The Pitcher Medal, Harkness Nj-60, bronzed white metal, 60.5mm

New Jersey State Agricultural Society Medals

The earliest record of a statewide agricultural society in New Jersey was from 1781, the name being "The New Jersey Society for Promoting Agriculture, Commerce, and Arts". Very little is known of their activities. A second attempt to form a society was in 1818 and the proposal called for the formation of a "State Society for the Promotion of Agriculture and Domestic Manufactures". Several committees were formed and a meeting was to be held in Trenton in October of 1818 but the record is blank after that. A third effort took place in 1839 centered around the Princeton Agricultural Society. The Legislature passed an act in 1840 to incorporate The New Jersey State Agricultural Society and the first fair and exhibition was held in November of that year. Another fair was held in October of 1841 but after that few records exist, the last being a record of a quarterly meeting held on July 23, 1842.
A New Jersey State Agricultural Society was finally successfully formed at a meeting on January 24, 1855 and the objective was to "improve the condition of Agriculture, Horticulture, and the Domestic and Household Arts." The first fair was held at Camden on September 18 through 21, 1855. The legislature approved the incorporation of the Society in February of 1856 and a second fair was held that year in Newark. The last fair was held in 1899 and in 1904 its certificate of incorporation was officially voided.

Harkness Nj-70, copper, 34.85mm

Harkness Nj-70, white metal, 34.3mm

Harkness Nj-70, brass, 34mm

IMAGE NEEDED

I have not seen a brass version of this medal but a Bangs, Merwin & Co. Sale of January 1863 list copper, brass, and tin.

Harkness Nj-70, gold?, 34mm

IMAGE NEEDED

Harkness Nj-70, silver, 35.4mm
awarded to "C.S. Demarest, New York", 1888

I have no record of any gold medals but an entry in "The History of the New Jersey Agricultural Society 1781-1940" states that silver, gold, and bronze medals were awarded at fairs held by the New Jersey State Agricultural Society

Admission ticket for the 1886 New Jersey State Agricultural

Society Annual Fair

Harkness Nj-80, bronze, 57mm

Awarded to "H.L. Moore / Elizabeth / Display of /

Photographs 1887"

I am not sure what to make of this piece? Beneath the figure on the obverse is the signature "Henning & Eymann NY" but is in a case, which is a perfect fit, that says "Geo. H. Lovett Medalist 192 B'Way N. Y." Did the Society have Henning & Eymann design the medal but then have George H. strike it since they had dealings with him in the past? Was the medal just placed in the case at a later date by someone else?

Harkness unlisted, gilt?, 57.4mm

This is not the work of George H. Lovett but thought it was an interesting piece to include. The organization was revived in 1940 as the New Jersey Agricultural Society and is still in existence today.