The E-Sylum:  Volume 5, Number 50, December 15, 2002, Article 3

ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF WASHINGTON

  "Father of his Country" George Washington died at his
  Mount Vernon, Virginia estate on December 14, 1799.
  Those of you who can count better than I are invited to
  compute the number of years it's been...

  Coincidentally, Stack's of New York's upcoming
  Americana sale (January 21-23, 2003) features the
  J. Harold Cobb Collection of George Washington
  Inaugural Buttons.

  From a Stack's Press release:  "The late J. Harold Cobb
  was one of the premiere collectors of the political buttons
  struck on the occasions of George Washington's two
  presidential inaugurations, 1789 and 1793. He
  corresponded with A.H. Albert, lending him materials and
  advice over the years. In 1963, Mr. Cobb published the
  fruits of his research in "George Washington Inaugural
  Buttons and Medalets 1789 & 1793".  Re-issued in 1968
  with revisions by Elmer Piercy, Cobb's book augments
  and supplements Albert's earlier work on the subject and
  has become a collectable in its own right.  Mr. Cobb died
  that year and his collection passed first to his son, then to
  his family, who have kept it intact ever since. Its contents
  have not been examined by anyone outside the family and
  it is generally unknown to today's collectors.

  The first anyone was aware the collection still existed came
  when a general request for assistance with a collection of
  Washington inaugural buttons was posted by a family
  member on a Usenet newsgroup.  Stack's responded
  promptly and was rewarded with the sale.

  The Cobb Collection includes 34 Washington inaugural
  buttons and 8 related pieces. The collection is notable not
  only for the rarity of its contents, but also for the outstanding
  condition of the pieces. Cobb collected with an eye to
  quality and his GW's are magnificent.  Many of the pieces
  in the Stack's auction are featured as plate pieces in Albert's,
  and Cobb's own, books.

  Stack's believes that the sale of the Cobb Collection will
  become a landmark event in the collecting history of this
  select and prestigious part of the hobby. Already, a lavish
  catalogue is being prepared with in depth cataloguing and
  illustrations of every button. George Fuld, recently named
  Washingtonia consultant to Stack's, has written a foreword
  to the catalogue.

  Other Washingtonia in the Stack's January, 2003 Americana
  sale includes important funeral medals in silver, gold, and
  white metal, as well as important Success Tokens, from the
  collection of the Western Reserve Historical Society via
  donation by Ambassador and Mrs. R. Henry Norweb. For
  further details, contact Mike Hodder at Stack's,
  212-582-2580."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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