Do you have a photo of the robert Scot engraving used as an award with the eagle on the top of the award page and the flags and cannons etc on the bottom,
The engraving described is the Society of the Cincinnati membership diploma. I do not have an image, Heritage has sold several signed by George Washington, they are magnificent (can someone post?). Heritage needs to mention Robert Scot in the descriptions.
Robert Scot engraved the decorative round hand script and gothic lettering, and was paid $20. This took considerable talent, and Captain George Turner described Scot as the only engraver "on the Continent, that can do it justice" in a 10/28/1784 letter. The eagles and figures were not engraved by Scot, reportedly designed by L'Enfant - but the original radical engraving that was the source was anonymous. Scot could only work on the script on Sundays, as he was under contract to engrave Captain William McMurray's 1784 map of the United States.
Scot condensed the artwork of the Cincinnati diploma for a frontispiece engraving, which is part of the cover design on the OP book. There are literally dozens of symbols, some obvious and some covert, in the cover design.
Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty - biography of US Mint's first chief engraver
@Realone: > That's the one Nysoto, so how many years after Scot's death did that engraved print continue to be used since it had blanks that were filled in and awards were given way after his death?
That's a good question, perhaps the Library of the Society of the Cincinnati could give you the best answer (I was pleased to see they have my book in their library).
Robert Scot also printed the original membership diploma, at £4 per 100 parchment copies. The original number might be in the Otho Holland Williams papers, I will look in the next few weeks. Scot probably made additional copies in later years as he always kept original copperplates for additional printings. After they ran out of the original, there were other versions of reproductions. The original would have the best detail.
The Society of the Cincinnati membership diploma was among the patriotic iconography that was imbedded into the material culture of the American Revolutionary era, within the decorative arts, printed medium, architecture, etc. Much of this was inspired by the Neo-Classical movement of the time that was adapted to revolutionary symbols and images of rebellion, unity, and liberty.
For coins, Robert Scot's designs drew inspiration from the Neo-Classical movement and Revolution-inspired themes, which can be seen in his earlier engravings.
Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty - biography of US Mint's first chief engraver
Comments
The engraving described is the Society of the Cincinnati membership diploma. I do not have an image, Heritage has sold several signed by George Washington, they are magnificent (can someone post?). Heritage needs to mention Robert Scot in the descriptions.
Robert Scot engraved the decorative round hand script and gothic lettering, and was paid $20. This took considerable talent, and Captain George Turner described Scot as the only engraver "on the Continent, that can do it justice" in a 10/28/1784 letter. The eagles and figures were not engraved by Scot, reportedly designed by L'Enfant - but the original radical engraving that was the source was anonymous. Scot could only work on the script on Sundays, as he was under contract to engrave Captain William McMurray's 1784 map of the United States.
Scot condensed the artwork of the Cincinnati diploma for a frontispiece engraving, which is part of the cover design on the OP book. There are literally dozens of symbols, some obvious and some covert, in the cover design.
@Realone: > That's the one Nysoto, so how many years after Scot's death did that engraved print continue to be used since it had blanks that were filled in and awards were given way after his death?
That's a good question, perhaps the Library of the Society of the Cincinnati could give you the best answer (I was pleased to see they have my book in their library).
Robert Scot also printed the original membership diploma, at £4 per 100 parchment copies. The original number might be in the Otho Holland Williams papers, I will look in the next few weeks. Scot probably made additional copies in later years as he always kept original copperplates for additional printings. After they ran out of the original, there were other versions of reproductions. The original would have the best detail.
Here is a link to an original sold by Heritage for $14,340. The diploma was for Ensign Elisha Horton, who was also a part of the 1773 Boston Tea Party https://historical.ha.com/itm/autographs/george-washington-society-of-the-cincinnati-membership-certificate-signed/a/6084-34070.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515#
The Society of the Cincinnati membership diploma was among the patriotic iconography that was imbedded into the material culture of the American Revolutionary era, within the decorative arts, printed medium, architecture, etc. Much of this was inspired by the Neo-Classical movement of the time that was adapted to revolutionary symbols and images of rebellion, unity, and liberty.
For coins, Robert Scot's designs drew inspiration from the Neo-Classical movement and Revolution-inspired themes, which can be seen in his earlier engravings.