"The Century" Magazine-April, 1920 (Roosevelt-Saint Gaudens)

[TomB]

An interesting bit of exonumia that I purchased a few years ago is an original copy of the April, 1920 issue of The Century magazine that features a collection of letters sent between Theodore Roosevelt and Augustus Saint Gaudens. This magazine was issued in a format that was slightly smaller than the standard copy paper we use today, so it was a little smaller than 8.5x11 inches. The Impressionistic style cover art, featuring a post-WWI Paris scene on this issue, is quite lovely and the colors are bold.

 

The article contained within is 16 full pages of reproduced letters exchanged between Theodore Roosevelt and Augustus Saint Gaudens concerning the background of the American numismatic overhaul immediately before WWI. The letters were supplied by Homer Saint Gaudens and peppered throughout the article are many B&W photographs of handwritten letters, plaster models of patterns and idea sketches

 

Much of this information has been subsequently reproduced in a number of books and pamphlets, but it is very cool to see the original publication of the work so shortly after the death of Theodore Roosevelt. I picked up my copy from an ebay auction and it cost less than $20, including postage. Below is an image of the cover. If you can find this issue, I would strongly recommend the purchase and reading of it.

[DaveG]

I have to confess that I haven't (yet) bought a copy of Roger Burdette's first volume, but, do you have any idea if he incorporated this material?

[jtryka]

Excellent info Tom, but that cover to me looks more like New York than Paris, specifically the Washington Square Arch, which in that era had traffic running through it as in this photo:

 

[michael]

superb

[TomB]

You are absolutely right, Jeff, I wasn't paying much attention to the cover and was completely off-base. The image is from an American artist named Cullen Yates and is titled "The Incoming Tide".

[Bruceswar]

thats a great piece to have... I like it

[EZ_E]

Excellent info Tom, but that cover to me looks more like New York than Paris, specifically the Washington Square Arch, which in that era had traffic running through it as in this photo:

 

 

Great pickup, Jeff! I just assumed that it was the arc de triomphe, but, on second view, it doesn't have the relief on the vertical columns.

 

arc de triomphe

[jtryka]

Well, it's only once in a blue moon that I can correct one of TomB's posts! I would love to see what those letters entailed, any chance you could post some interesting tidbits Tom?