LAFAYETTE'S GOLD CINCINNATI SOCIETY MEDAL TO BE SOLD Public Deposited
The E-Sylum: Volume 10, Number 36, September 10, 2007, Article 15
LAFAYETTE'S GOLD CINCINNATI SOCIETY MEDAL TO BE SOLD
An Associated Press article published September 6th notes that
Sotheby's plans to auction Lafayette's gold medal of the Society
of the Cincinnati."An ornate gold medal depicting an eagle, commissioned by George
Washington as a symbol of the ideals of the Revolutionary War
and later presented to the Marquis de Lafayette, is to be sold
at auction later this year."Sotheby's auction house made the announcement Thursday, on
the 250th anniversary of the birth of Lafayette. The gold and
enamel medal - showing an eagle surrounded by a laurel wreath
- is estimated to bring up to $10 million at the Dec. 11 sale,
it said."After Washington's death, the medal was presented to Lafayette
by Washington's family; it was consigned to the auction by
Lafayette's great-great granddaughter, Baronne Meunier du Houssoy,
of France."Washington, Lafayette and several other commanders formed The
Society of the Cincinnati in 1793 to uphold the values of the
Revolution."Sotheby's said Lafayette treasured the medal from his hero,
even wearing it while having his portrait taken during a trip
to Charleston, S.C. The portrait now hangs in the Gibbes Museum
of Art in Charleston."The medal, which contains the Latin inscription 'he left everything
to serve the republic,' was last seen publicly at the Chicago World's
Fair in 1893. It is being offered for sale in what is believed to
be its original red leather presentation box bearing the label,
Washington's Cincinnati Badge."To read the complete article, see: Full Story
For more information on the Society of the Cincinnati, see:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_the_CincinnatiTo visit to Society of the Cincinnati web site, see
thecincinnati.org- 2007-09-10
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