THE AUGUSTIN DUPRÉ ARCHIVE

It was one minute past one pm on April 2nd at the New York quarters of Bonhams. The auctioneer stepped to the rostrum and offered a single lot: the so-called “Dupre Hoard”. The bidding started at $200,000 and moved up smartly to $300,000 where, after a brief moment of suspense, the Hoard was knocked down to John Kraljevich of JK Americana. There is no one more qualified to sift this treasure trove of drawings, documents and medals for its historical significance.

The Advisory was in attendance at the sale and “our staff” been analyzing the material that passed before our eyes. Here is a summary of what we saw:

Drawings – There are two detailed sketches of the Daniel Morgan obverse and several partial sketches which will turn on the collectors of Comitia Americana. In like vein, there are several renditions of the Hercules tableau that was considered, but rejected, for the 1784 Franklin medal as well as an early version of the Winged Genius that was ultimately used. There are several drawings of lions that may be the precursor to the Libertas lion and there are trials of the Peace and Commerce medal (Betts 608).

Sketch and uniface obverse cliché of Daniel Morgan medal

Documents – The bulk of the monetary value of the Hoard lies in this category. Topping the list is a description of the legends and devices of the Washington Before Boston medal, one page of which is in Jefferson’s hand. Some may interpret this item as an indication of Jefferson taking a role in the design of the medals, but it is clear that he is merely transcribing (with one error) the work of l’Academie des Belles Lettres. There are four other signed letters from TJ to Dupre, all of them sexy items. A letter from Benjamin Franklin to Dupre is signed by William Templeton Franklin, acting as secretary to the sender. Most important to Comitia Americana history is the contract for the Greene medal, signed jointly by Dupre and David Humphreys. This same document is quoted verbatim in the Duc du Loubat’s 19th century opus on American medals. In a different vein, there is a plethora of material having to do with the engraver’s planning and execution of the John Paul Jones medal.

Washington Before Boston medal description
in Thomas Jefferson's hand

Medals – Of primary interest in this category are clichés in excellent condition of the Morgan obverse and the Greene reverse. For the real aficionado, there is a trial strike of what would probably have been the reverse of a medal to Admiral le Comte d’Estaing, who pressure the British fleet off the Southern coasts in 1778-1779. Much research needs to be done on why this medal was contemplated and why then it was not completed.

John Adams adds:

For more information about the medal Collectors of America, see: www.medalcollectors.org

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
BONHAM'S TO SELL AUGUSTIN DUPRÉ ARCHIVE (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n02a07.html)
AN AUGUSTIN DUPRÉ GALLERY (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n02a08.html)
WILLIAM S. APPLETON'S REMARKS ON AUGUSTIN DUPRÉ (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n02a09.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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