George Washington Commemorative Medallion

Status

Not on view

Label Text

This small circular framed print, called a “Mount Vernon gem,” is an important example of a popular 19th-century Washington souvenir. A label on the back explains that the frame is made of wood from Mount Vernon, produced by James Crutchett at his Mount Vernon Factory in Washington, D.C. In 1856, Crutchett signed an exclusive contract with John Augustine Washington III to purchase timber from Mount Vernon to use it to craft souvenirs such as canes and picture frames. The print itself celebrates George Washington’s contributions and legacy, featuring a profile portrait of Washington surrounded by patriotic imagery and scenes of the Mount Vernon mansion and Washington’s tomb.

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Date1859

Maker James Crutchett (American, 1856 - 1861)

Engraver American Bank Note Company (American, active 1795 - 2020)

Etcher Horace Barnes and Company

Geography Made - United States

Medium/TechniqueInk on paper, glass, wood; steel engraving

DimensionsOverall (frame): 3 1/4 in. × 3 1/4 in. (8.26 cm × 8.26 cm) Other (image): 2 1/8 in. × 2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm × 5.4 cm)

Credit LinePurchased by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Books and Manuscripts Endowment, 2018

Object numberM-5706

DescriptionCircular wooden frame holding a print under glass. The center of the print features a profile bust portrait of George Washington in classical drapery, surrounded by a circular border with thirteen stars. Below the circle is a plinth with Washington’s birth and death dates inscribed. Patriotic and military symbols surround the plinth and portrait, including (from left), a shield, sword, laurel wreath, and female figure representing liberty, wearing a liberty cap while holding a spear and a scroll reading “He lived for his country.” Scenes from Mount Vernon appear in the background: a view of the east front of the Mansion and the Potomac River and a view of Washington’s new tomb. Pasted on the back of the frame is a circular piece of paper with details about Crutchett’s Mount Vernon Factory.

Mount Vernon's object research is ongoing and information about this object is subject to change. For information on image use and reproductions, click here.