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Anyone have some Ernest Chormann pieces sitting around?
RogerB
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Do members have any pewter or lead pieces similar to these by Ernest Chormann sitting around? If so, I'd like to examine them.
Thanks!
[Photos courtesy Stacks-Bowers Auctions, J.J. Ford-XXIII, lots 22002 and 22006]
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I don’t but I’m curious what does the “F” stand for?
Presumably stands for the Latin word "fecit" - a common artistic practice in the past.
Correct.
Or --- maybe it was Chormann's grade in math class.... ?
Perhaps some research into his report cards is necessary?
Wish I did. Those are nice!
Those are new to me.... do not recall seeing those at any coin shows or shops... Was Mr. Chormann of Philadelphia a dealer or craftsman of some sort? Cheers, RickO
If I owned these I would be the Chormann of this board!
OK on the F... but what is the C for under seated Liberty? Cheers, RickO
The "C" is for Chormann. This obverse was evidently muled with reverse dies that lacked his identification.
Ernest G. Chormann was an engraver and diesinker in Philadelphia. He made custom medals (see Julian's book), merchant tokens and other low-end items. My interest is his involvement in continuing J. T. Barclay's coin protection experiments after Barclay went to Jerusalem to covert Jews to Christianity (at least - to Barclay's version of it). I have considerable information but members here and on some other forums occasionally have interesting and useful information not found elsewhere.
PS: Chormann has also been linked with possible creation of Clark, Gruber & Co. original dies in 1860-61. There are some similarities between Chormann's 3-rd rate portrait modeling on the above items and the CG&C coins.
The engraving on the eye of the Native American head does look similar to that of the Clark Gruber 1861 $2.50, $5, and $20.
The overall engraving quality on the Clark Gruber 1861 $20 Liberty Head was pretty good - as good (if not better than) other territorial gold.
To confirm that Chormann was the Clark Gruber engraver, it might be possible to compare enlarged images of the character punches used on the pieces marked "CHORMANN" with some of the Clark Gruber pieces to see if any share the same character punches.
Several people have made comparisons between punches. Anthony C. LaVerghetta discussed the possible connection in “Who Was E. G. Chormann?” Brasher Bulletin. Spring 2008. pp.15-16.
The 1861 DE is not as crude a portrait as on other Chormann items.
However, I am looking only at the Barclay experiment material and not Clark, Gruber & Co. or Pike's Peak gold.