THE MEDALLION BY TIFFANY & CO., NEW YORK, CIRCA 1885

The present lot most closely relates to the Rhode Island Eagle, No. 47, illustrated in Minor Myers Jr.’s catalogue The Insignia of The Society of the Cincinnati, 1989, p. 85. Meyers attributes the especially large medallion (19 mm. tall) to Tiffany & Co., circa 1885. In addition to their larger size, the Tiffany medallions are distinct in that that the “A” in SERVARE is noticeably smaller than the other letters. An additional signifier is that the roof line of the house lines up with the R of SERVARE. Both of these features are present on this Eagle. The differences between the present Eagle and the Rhode Island Eagle are slight—the Rhode Island eagle illustrated by Meyers has an enameled neck and there is a small clusters of feathers at the top of the tail on the reverse that is not found on the present. The eagles are identical in terms of size, chasing of the feathers, both suspension rings, white tail feathers and the medallions. Additionally, a Connecticut Variation Eagle, No. 67, illustrated on p. 103 is highly similar to both the present lot and the Rhode Island Eagle. Myers notes that this variant also includes a medallion by Tiffany.

Founded by officers of the Continental army and navy in 1783, the Society of the Cincinnati endeavored to preserve the friendships formed among members during service and to provide for impoverished families of the war. The Society was named after the Roman liberator Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus and the insignia features the Roman hero on a medallion applied to a gold eagle. While the original badge was designed by Major Pierre L'Enfant, later variations of both American and French manufacture, have been produced since then.