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Sale 68
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Lot 133
[Society of the Cincinnati] Eagle Insignia. Gold eagle that belonged to Elihu Church (1881-1963), who became a member of the New York chapter of the Society of the Cincinnati in 1912 by right of descent from original member James Stewart, Captain, 5th Regiment, NY Line. Church was the first, and apparently only, hereditary member on this line. He did not inherit membership from his father, so he would have acquired himself any eagle that he owned. He likely first purchased a New York eagle, since this was the society to which he belonged. He served as president of the New York chapter of the Society of the Cincinnati in 1938.
This is a New York eagle, c. 1919. The gold is probably 14-18 karat gold based. Height: 40 mm. Width: 24 mm. The eagle is suspended from a pale blue and white ribbon which is attached to a segmented ring which is looped through a smaller plain ring. The New York eagle used the L'Enfant design (rather than the 1902 design) which was worn by the founders of the society. Later specimens were made by Bailey, Banks & Biddle of Philadelphia, then by A.M. Ross.
George Washington was elected the first President of the Society of the Cincinnati in December 1783 and served until his death in 1799, when he was succeeded by Alexander Hamilton. Original Members of the Society of the Cincinnati included General Henry Knox, considered the Society's originator; General Friedrich William von Steuben, the Society's first presiding officer; Alexander Hamilton; General Nathanael Greene; Commodore John Barry; and Captain John Paul Jones. Foreign officers who fought in the American Revolution also became members. They included Generals Lafayette and Rochambeau and Admiral de Grasse from France, and Colonel Thaddeus Kosciuszko from Poland.
Estimated Value $2,000 - 3,000.
Estate of Elihu Church.
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| Realized $1,200 |
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