Fort Stanwix 1784. Breast plate. Silver. Another mind blower.

[dg39]

Here we go again..Sorry for the poor quality photo's, did not take them..
I beg your indulgence once again. This came from the collection that contains the 1791 New York Treaty watch posted a few days ago.
Another fantastic item of early American history.....
Native American Breast Plate.
Silver. Hand fashoned. About 6 inches in diameter.
Fort Stanwix 1784
Leather on reverse side along with a trade bead hanger.
Sorry about details.
Everyting is correct for it's age except the leather on back, which I have no photo of. It was probably replaced years ago.. Trade bead hanger shows good age.
Any information greatly appreciated!
I feel like a rookie when Smithsonian grade items are thrown at me.
Thank You
DG

 

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[cw0909]

dg39,this stuff is great could you, get your source/s to take better pics
i would love to see our history just a little better, LOL

Importance of the medals to the U.S. government Without medals, any plan of operations among the Indians, be it what it may, is essentially enfeebled. This comes of the high value which the Indians set upon these tokens of Friendship. They are, besides this indication of the Government Friendship, badges of power to them, and trophies of renown. They will not consent to part from this ancient right, as they esteem it; and according to the value they set upon medals is the importance to the Government in having them to bestow.
Thomas L. McKenney, head of the Indian Office, to the secretary of the War Department, 1829
http://www.smithsoniansource.org/display/primarysource/viewdetails.aspx?PrimarySourceId=1040

Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=1420&nm=Treaty-of-Fort-Stanwix-1784

Medals for Deserving Indians,has img of doc
http://wardepartmentpapers.org/document.php?id=19091
http://wardepartmentpapers.org/sear...ommissioners+medals&submitSearchSimple=Search

Viewing 1–25 of 4,765 documents: "Fort Stanwix 1784 peace medal"
http://wardepartmentpapers.org/sear...ix+1784+peace+medal&submitSearchSimple=Search

Treaty medals, National Museum of the American Indian
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leonandloisphotos/3702413135/in/photostream/

amerian indian treaties francis paul prucha
http://tinyurl.com/72yo24q

 

[bluehunter1973]

nice

 

[cw0909]

some of the medals were made by spain and the British, good info in the pdf

from pg 4
Washington Oval Peace Medals
(by George Fuld/Max Spiegel)
Indian peace medals were
presented to Native Americans by the
British starting about 1714. The earliest
British medals were small copper
medals, about 32 mm starting in 1714.
Later issues were in silver about 60 mm
in size under reign of George III in the
1770’s. French medals, were awarded
starting in 1690 and were issued with the
same design for a number of years.
Originals were in silver which had
similar sizes, around 41 mm. Spanish
medals were not issued in quantities, and
date from about 1775 in silver, about 54
mm. Not to be outdone by the European
powers, the first oval Indian peace
medals presented by the United States in
1789 were large oval hand engraved
silver productions, about 106 x 137 mm.
(4.4 x 5.7 inches).

pg 5
The
records of the Quartermaster General
show the following medals among
“articles forwarded to Fort Washington
between April 1st 1795 & April 1st
1796”?
23 Silver Medals 1st size
30 ditto 2nd size
40 ditto 3rd size
There is little doubt that the oval
peace medals issued between 1789 and
1795 were made in large quantities.
Belden8 makes the distinction that there
are nine different medal designs in this
period. An assumption can be made that
upwards of 500 oval medals were
produced in this period. Medals were
sometimes buried when the chief died,
but more likely the medals were handed
down to the successor. As a guess,
about 50 genuine oval peace medals exist
with about 90% in museums. Fuld and
Spiegel9have conducted a census of the
Washington ovals and located some 42 specimens

http://www.medalcollectors.org/Archives/MCA Advisory March 2011.pdf