Washington Temperance Society Medals
The
Washington Temperance Society of Baltimore was founded on April 5th,
1840 by six men in Chasels Tavern on Liberty Street, Baltimore. These
friends, business and family men, had slowly come to realize the power
of alcohol over their lives and decided to form a society and help each
other overcome this addiction. They were not a temperance movement in
the sense of overcoming societies ills when it came to alcohol but in
terms of the individuals reliance drinking. They pledged to meet weekly
and these meetings were to be based on individual experiences with
alcohol and not abstract principles or discussions.
They
also immediately began recruiting friends and associates who had
drinking problems to join the Society; within 6 months there were 80 to
90 members. The organization soon grew so large, and their meetings so
crowded, that it was decided to form chapters in different parts of the
city. And other similar groups had sprung up imitating the principles of
the Washington Temperance Society. On the first anniversary of their
founding a grand procession was held and was reported to have been
attended by 6000 to 8000 individuals. Soon after "missionaries" were
sent out and chapters were formed around the country. It is estimated
there were as many as 600,000 members at one time.
The larger temperance
movements that became more concerned with the use of alcohol in society
as a whole, and legislating against its manufacture and sale, seemed to
bring about the end of the Washingtonians. By 1866 one author wrote
"...their thunder is worn out. The novelty of the commonplace narrative
is used up, and we cannot raise an interest..." (
Marsh,J. Temperance Recollections. New York; Scribner, 1866).
The Washington Pledge
"We, whose names are annexed, desirous of forming a society
for our natural benefit, and to guard against a pernicious practice,
which is injurious to our health, standing and families - we do
pledge ourselves as gentlemen, not to drink any spirituous or malt
liquors, wine or cider."
for our natural benefit, and to guard against a pernicious practice,
which is injurious to our health, standing and families - we do
pledge ourselves as gentlemen, not to drink any spirituous or malt
liquors, wine or cider."
Temperance Declaration Medal
GW-172, Baker 328A, copper, 42mm
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GW-172, Baker 328B, bronze, 42mm
IMAGE NEEDED
GW-172, Baker 328C, brass, 41.8mm
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GW-172, Baker 328D, white metal, 42.1mm
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Washington Temperance Society silk ribbon
House of Temperance Medal
GW-174, Baker 329, bronze, 42mm
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GW-174 in copper (unlisted), 41.6mm
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GW-174, Baker 329B, white metal, 41.6mm
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Temperance medal by Halliday, white metal, 44.8mm
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| This is not the work of Robert Sr. but
notice the similarities in the reverse design. Was this a common image
of the temperance movement that both designers adopted or did one copy
the other?
"Plea for the Intemperate" by David M. Reese, A.M., M.D.,
published 1841 and addressed to William K. Mitchell,
President of the Washington Temperance Society
of Baltimore.
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The first paragraph of the Preface reads " The paramount motive
which has prompted this publication, is to furnish the benevolent
with a 'Tract for the times', which they may read and circulate
among a class of our fellow men, who have been inaccessible
by the ordinary issues from he press, because of the abrupt and
unceremonious title of most Temperance publications"
which has prompted this publication, is to furnish the benevolent
with a 'Tract for the times', which they may read and circulate
among a class of our fellow men, who have been inaccessible
by the ordinary issues from he press, because of the abrupt and
unceremonious title of most Temperance publications"
Temperance Society Award Medal
GW-175, Baker 356, copper, 41.5mm, unawarded
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GW-175, Baker 356A, bronze, 41.6mm
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GW-175, Baker 356B, white metal, 41.7mm
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Temperance Society / Rochester Mechanics mule
GW-173, Baker 341, Greenslet GM-67, copper, 41.7mm
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GW-173, Baker 341B, Greenslet GM-67, white metal, 42mm
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GW-173, brass, 42mm
(Neil Musante in "Medallic Washington" list a version in this metal, neither
Greenslet or Rulau/Fuld have this listed)
I suspect the first two reverses, The Temperance Pledge and House of Temperance, were
originally produced for the organization by Robert Sr.. The Awarded To die was used
with the Rochester Mechanics die and Essex County Institute die and seem to be
logical pairings, not so with the Washington Temperance die. My guess is these
mulings were produced by George H. to provide collectors with scarce pieces.
originally produced for the organization by Robert Sr.. The Awarded To die was used
with the Rochester Mechanics die and Essex County Institute die and seem to be
logical pairings, not so with the Washington Temperance die. My guess is these
mulings were produced by George H. to provide collectors with scarce pieces.
House of Temperance / Awarded to mule
Copper, 41.6mm
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| In his book on Augustus B. Sage Q. David Bowers list this combination of dies and says an example was offered in a Sage fixed price list of 1859 in which it was called "very rare". |
Unknown Temperance Society Medal
White metal, 39.75mm
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Under magnification the obverse of this piece appears to be from
Robert Lovett Sr.'s Washington Temperance Society die
although the signature is not visible. The motto on the reverse
reads "
We do pledge ourselves as gentleman that we will not
drink any spiritous or malt liquors, wine, or cider". The surfaces
are very rough - from rusted dies, poor planchet quality,
corrosion? Anyone with any knowledge of this piece please
contact me.
House of Temperance / Temperance Declaration mule
White metal, 41.6mm
This appears to be a reverse of GW-172 and GW-174
House of Temperance / Temperance Declaration mule
White metal, 41.6mm
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