The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 29, July 10, 2005, Article 11

EARLY PORTRAIT ENGRAVERS

Regarding Katie Jaeger's question about Charles Cushing
Wright, Pete Smith writes: "I have a few comments about
Wright as the first American engraver to do a portrait on
a metal die.

Some of our colonial (pre-federal) coins had portraits
including images of George III, George Washington and
George Clinton. Diesinkers like James Atlee, Joseph
Callendar, William Coley, Benjamin Dudley, and Jacob
Perkins were producing dies for such coinage as early
as 1785.

Wright was probably not the first to do a portrait for a
medal. Peter Getz did a Washington medal (Baker 288)
as early as 1797.

These are examples of the Joel Orosz rule. Whenever a
writer goes "out-on-a-limb" to identify the first example of
something, it provides an opportunity for other writers to
mention earlier examples."

Katie Jaeger writes: "I also had a response from David
Gladfelter mentioning Trested (who was English-born),
Samuel Brooks, Jacob Perkins and Joseph Wright. I'm
beginning to think that CCW was likely the first American
to have his subject sit while he modeled a likeness, and
later engraved it on steel. All those mentioned by Smith
and Gladfelter would have been made from famous portraits
or drawings, while CCW did his from life. I don't think
CCW was the type to make extravagant claims about himself.
He didn't have to!"

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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