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Thanks, Dooly!

Started by cpm9ball,

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cpm9ball

cpm9ball

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Your post about the glass jar made me think of this. This is a cast of the Seal of the President of the United States which is embedded in the floor of the Rotunda at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

 

While my brother was working at the Smithsonian about 25 years ago, he was asked to make a copy of the seal. After decades and decades of tourists touching it, it was beginning to wear. My brother is a master plasterer who learned the art of cornice work (ornamental plaster) from my father.

 

This was the initial "pour" from the cast my brother made. It is adhered to a plywood back, and it enabled him to determine what areas of the mold had to be deepened to bring out the relief. The finished product now hangs in the White House out of the reach of the hands of tourists.

 

As a gesture of gratitude for his work, President Reagan allowed my brother to keep this cast. He was offered $50,000 for it by a Sears, Roebuck & Company executive, but he chose to give it to my parents, instead.

 

Chris

41899-IMG_1658.JPG.aed0bd633a0f096bdcb81930349b2c6b.JPG

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cpm9ball

cpm9ball

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You know, I just noticed something. Did anyone spot the doubling on the inner feathers of the wings? Mechanical or Hub Doubling? lol

 

Chris

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jesbroken

jesbroken

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Chris,

That is the neatest American Numismatica item I have ever seen!!!! Bar none! Especially with the storyline accompanying the photo. Great piece of memorabilia.

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cpm9ball

cpm9ball

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Chris, that's tremendous, and a great image also! I still have that medal you so kindly sent me awhile back.

 

(thumbs u

 

It was just a token of my appreciation for your contributions to these forums and your humor and honesty. I don't think I ever told you the story that goes with it.

 

There is a seller in France from whom I've purchased quite a few medals. On this one occasion, he had nothing listed for quite some time. For nearly two years, he always had something listed, and I became concerned that he may have health issues.

 

It's funny, but as you get older, you start thinking about all the health issues that can affect other people. And, when you lose contact with them you automatically start thinking the worst. Well, I sent him an e-mail expressing my concern and asked how he was doing. He appreciated the thought, but he explained that every so often he goes on a buying trip around the continent.

 

As it was, he had just returned and posted 50-60 new items for auction. He said that if I looked through them and saw some I liked to let him know and he would pull the listings if there were no bids. I went through them and found quite a few that I liked. I think he must have been in a state of shock when I told him there were 43 that I wanted. We dickered a little bit on the final price which was something less than $1350. Then I asked him if he would throw in the St. Louis medal and free shipping for an even $1400, to which, he agreed. Yeah, when I saw that medal, my first thought was of you, James.

 

I was kind of surprised that eBay didn't question him at all for pulling 44 listings. The down side of this story is that now his prices are alot higher. lol

 

Chris

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