USA, George III (1760-1820), The Lion and Wolf Indian Chief'...

Hammer

£27,000

USA, George III (1760-1820), The Lion and Wolf Indian Chief's, Silver Medal (61mm/60.00gm), c. 1777.

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Young bust of King to right, wearing armour, five rivets above sash, his hair tied behind, curls above his ear, GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA. Rev, a lion reclines on a mound, to right, a snarling wolf, behind, trees left and right, a church and houses between. Original decorated suspension loop (Adams type 10.1, obv. 1, rev. A; Jamieson Fig. 11; John J. Ford Collection, part XVI, Stack's, 17 October, 2006 (lot 50 - $22,000); Betts 436). Extremely Fine, wiped in antiquity as is typical and now toned a steely grey with hints of turquoise. Small dig and usual die flaw to rev., but considerably better struck than any other example found on the market in the last 20 years, extremely rare.John Adams, Indian Peace Medals, Crestline, California, 1999, discusses these medals at some length and concludes that they were almost certainly distributed at the bequest of General [Gentleman Johnny] Burgoyne (1722-1792). In an earlier publication, Paul Edmond Beckwith, American Indian Peace Medals, Washington, 1907, writes 'In 1765 a treaty was made with the British and Pontiac, and his chiefs were presented by Sir William Johnson, at Oswego, with the medals known as 'the lion and wolf medals.' A large number of these were distributed...'. However, Alan M. Stahl, Coinage of the Americas Conference, ANS, New York, 1997, confirms Adams's conclusions. The Adams 'Modern Census' lists just 17 'Lion and Wolf' medals, of which one (see Ford catalogue) is now thought not to exist. Only 7 are of this variety. This medal does not feature on the census.Believed to be acquired by an officer surnamed either Tudor or Risk, subsequently Tudor-Risk in the 19th century. The ?Army Lists? by Worthington Chauncey Ford records an Edward Tudor in a 1798 Army List showing on Half Pay as 2nd Lieutenant in the 85th Foot, disbanded 1763. On the same page, there is also a Richard Tudor on Half Pay as Lieutenant in the 95th Foot. In British Officers Serving In America 1754-1774, published in 1894, Edward is shown as 43rd Foot, not 85th, and Richard is shown as 95th Foot, but both believed to be the same as in the ?Army Lists?. The 43rd returned to North America in 1774 after 12 years away and remained throughout the American War of Independence (1775-1783), so this seems the most likely source from our research. The 95th did see action in North America but during the Seven Years? War (1756?1763). The 85th was originally intended for service in the North American campaign but instead served in Europe.