History - Isabella Quarter Dollar

[leeg]

I thought these were a couple cool items I found during my research:

    “The Image Above shows the design of the Hammer with which Mrs. Potter Palmer is to drive the last nail in the Woman’s Building at the World’s Fair. The handle of the Hammer will be composed of light and dark woods alternating, and encircled by a broad band of gold, on which will be engraved, ‘From the Women of Nebraska.’ The head of the Hammer will be of solid silver, and on the face will be the seal of Nebraska in gold relief. Draping the Hammer and handle will be the United States flag wrought in gold. For each state in the Union there will be a diamond star, while the flagstaff will be of pearl surmounted by a golden eagle. The Hammer was designed by the women of Nebraska, and the precious tool is being executed by an Omaha jeweler. The nail is to be of gold, silver and copper, and was designed by the women of Montana. The casket in which the Hammer and nail are to be kept will be a miniature model in precious metals of the Pueblo Mineral Palace, and will be presented by the women of Colorado. Courtesy of The Iron Age, The Nebraska Hammer, September 1892, p. 406.

“Chicago, April 29.–Mrs. Potter Palmer will drive a golden nail into the Woman’s Building at the World’s fair this afternoon to signify the completion of the building. In presiding at the meetings of the board of lady managers Mrs. Palmer has become expert with the gavel, and her friends think that the handsome lady president will be able to hit the nail on the head and drive it into the arch of the assembly room with exactly three well directed blows of the hammer.

The exercise will be simple. Mrs. Elise Richards of Montana will deliver the precious nail in its silver casket and also a gold and silver hammer, and Mrs. Palmer will thereupon proceed with her own fair hands to finish the Woman’s Building herself. As a matter of fact the golden nail will be immediately withdrawn and returned to its place in the breastpin of which it forms a part, and the pin will then be presented to Mrs. Palmer.”

“Mrs. Potter Palmer, President of the Board of Lady Managers of the Exposition, as already announced, will drive the nail used in completion of the Woman’s Building. This nail will be furnished by the women of Montana, and will be a very wonderful one, as is indicated by this description of it given by the Helena, Montana Independent:– 

The nail has been so made as to form the back or cross bar of a brooch, which is to be a shield bearing the coat of arms of Montana reproduced in native gold without a trace of alloy in its composition. This shield will be of gold, and the symbolical figures will be made of the same metal but of different colors. The waterfall in the foreground will be of light colored gold sunk into the shield, and the plow and pick, standing at the foot of the falls, will be of a darker shade, as will be the background or relief. The wreath surrounding the escutcheon will be of native gold, and the figures of the two men supporting the whole on either side will also be of the same rich, yellow gold. Underneath will be the scroll, bearing the motto of the state, ‘Oro y Plata (Spanish for gold and silver-LG).’ In the two upper portions of the wreath two Montana sapphires will be inserted. Instead of merely engraving the figures, each will be wrought separately and then fastened together, making the task of shaping the brooch not only a delicate, but exceedingly difficult one, and one that will require much skill and patience.

    To Mrs. J. E. Rickards, of Butte, belongs the credit of the happy idea of making the last nail, one of such interest. In design, the nail, which is being made by a Butte jeweler, will be the counterpart of an ordinary twelve-penny nail and will be composed of three strips with silver in the centre and the gold and copper on either side. The nail and brooch are distinct articles and ager the former has been driven, it will be drawn from the wood, fastened to the brooch and the whole presented to Mrs. Palmer.

    The women of Nebraska have undertaken to furnish the hammer with which this ‘last nail’ will be driven. A description of the hammer has not yet been given, but it is the intention to make it worthy of the aristocratic nail with which it will be brought in contact by Mrs. Palmer. It has been suggested that it be make of native Nebraska woods, inlaid with gold, silver, and pearl.”  Courtesy of The Humming Bird, A Quarterly Scientific, Artistic and Industrial Review; edited by A. BOUCARD: Mrs. Potter Palmer will put the finishing touch on the Woman’s Building with hammer and spike of costly make, September 1892, p. 36.

Enjoy  

 

[LINCOLNMAN]

Very interesting, thanks for posting. One wonders if the hammer and its casket were ever executed as described, given the ambitious description. Have you seen any follow-up articles as yet? Is the present whereabouts of these objects known? Must be a fun and rewarding project, lots of history in commemoratives. . 

[numisport]

If you work for a living can you please quit your job so you can finish your book. And then I will quit my job so I can read your volumes.

[leeg]

9 hours ago, LINCOLNMAN said:

Very interesting, thanks for posting. One wonders if the hammer and its casket were ever executed as described, given the ambitious description. Have you seen any follow-up articles as yet? Is the present whereabouts of these objects known? Must be a fun and rewarding project, lots of history in commemoratives. . 

Appreciate it.  I do have the color images and locations for these two items.

[leeg]

9 hours ago, numisport said:

If you work for a living can you please quit your job so you can finish your book. And then I will quit my job so I can read your volumes.

lol.  I hear ya. Been too many years. I promise I'm working hard on it.

[LINCOLNMAN]

49 minutes ago, leeg said:

Appreciate it.  I do have the color images and locations for these two items.

Please put me down for a copy of your book. 

[coinsandmedals]

Great post! Thank you for taking the time to share. I wish posts like this were made more often. 

[leeg]

22 hours ago, LINCOLNMAN said:

Please put me down for a copy of your book. 

Most definitely.

Looks like three volumes due to my page count.

[leeg]

5 hours ago, coinsandmedals said:

Great post! Thank you for taking the time to share. I wish posts like this were made more often. 

Thank you.  I have done post's similar to this for years. You can go back in the archives to find them.

[leeg]

This Isabella Quarter is wild! It's raw in the ANA Money Museum.

 

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