The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-10-02
ART OF DIE-SINKING.
A TALK WITH AN OLD NEW YORK
MEDALLISI.
The Seal of the Confederate Treasury De-
partme nt-Taking the First impress
sion - Making Dies and Striking
OF Medals Designs.
fNew York Sun |

New York SUM-
The other day a reporter was look
ing over the collection OF political medals
and tokens belonging to Robert Hewitt. Jr.
Mr.. Hewitt picked up from the tray, what sp-
peared t. b, the i'm imrrd, p,.e. tn, reporter saw
in bold relief palmetto tree In the middle
of the leaden circle. The inscription near
the upper rim was Confederate States of
America, ami OH either side Of the palmetto
"Trsas Dept"
"That," continued Mr. Hewitt @is the
first impression ever taken from the
original seal of the Confederate treas
ury department The seal was cut
by the meiallist and die sinker,
George H. Lovett-old George Lovett now
but brisk and active when be cut this
seal think he began work on II about .
month before Fort Sumter was fired on He
also did tho seal for the state OF Virginia,
OF which this Is an impression" and Mr..
Hewitt showed the impress on lead OF the
following design; An Amazonian figure
tramping upon a prostrate man, from whose
bead crown Il falling. The inscriptions
are: Virginia, Liberty and Union" and
"Sic Ssmper Tyrannis." 1t Is almost iden-
tical with the original seal Of Virginia. but
In that zeal the crown lies on the ground.
IThere were curious circumstances con-
nected with the ordering Of the treasury
SEAL" continued Mr.. Hewitt. "Lovett can
tell you all about it."
Following Mr. Hewitt's directions, the re-
porter soon found himself in a little Office
on the third floor of Broad way building.
Seated at long, narrow table near tho
window. and peering through magnifying
glass adjusted so that a circular piece OF
steel hel by clamps was within its focus,
sat man buSily at wor on the steel with
small instrument His face was partially
turned away, but his gray hair showed him
to be we'll advanco In years
The reporter spoke Of seeing the first i'm
preston Of the Confederate treasury seal.
"Then you know Mr.. HEWITT IL he hadn't
been so eager about it | never would have
dared to take the impression. You see,
was carefully watched. A total stranger.
whom have never seen since then nor heard
Of in any way. came 10 me with the design
and ordered the seal After the long lapse
OF time can remember him only as tall and
dark. Nearly all the time ] was cutting
the seal he sat in the Office
watching the work. He seemed
exceedingly anxious that should finish the
Job as soon as practicable, and at the same
time he didn't want any OF my other custo-
mers to see the de ign. On one OF the very
few occasions when he ha left the Office
for brief space OF time Mr.. Hewitt hap
pened in. knew him to bo an enthusiastic
numismatist So let him see the design
and the seal which had almost finished,
only tie final touches, II remember Alright.
being wanted. Mr.. Hewitt's numismatic
enthusiasm was at once aroused. l could
Hat hfo For fyr,n I
had dipper of molten lead on the fire, and
poured the lead over the seal Thus was
taken the 6rst impression Of the seal OF ths
Confederate treasury department. 10 was
barely cold and in Mr.. Hewitt's pocket
before the stranger entered. made the
seal for Virginia. and curiously enough
that for West Virginia. When Virginia
seeded the original must have been lost
otherwise can't account for the order /
received, nor do ! know why the slight
change from the original should have been
wanted"
The reporter asked Mr. Lovett il there
had been any change in methods since he
had been in the profession.
1--WE formerly cut on steel bound with
iron, SO that. IL the steel cracked, the iron
would hold the pieces together. But since
then the quality Of steel has been greatly
improved 30 that the binding can be dis
pensed with. The metal for our work now
comes in round or octagon-shapel bars from
six to fifteen feet long. We saw OFF a piece
Of the bar for each design we have to cut
Medals, Of course. require two dies. We
strike of the medals ON powerful screw
presses Hard metal we are obliged to an
neal from six to ten times before we can get
. clear impression"
Then much tins must be consumed in
striking of the medal<T'
"Yes When the medal is a fine one and
careful work is required, I rarely strike Off
more than four or five medals day. But
that kind Of work isn't called for
very often now. The demand for medals
has increased wonderfully, but people
want them small and cheap Work has
TO be done quickly now. Orders are
coming In from all over the country. am
constantly sinking dies for msIals to he dis
tributsd as prizes at agricultural fairs. col
lege commencements, musical prizs conts sts,
pr,ze drills or t. be sold a memorials aG
centennial celebrations. Here, for instance,
h q medal l have cut for the Alabam
state fair. The diverse repre- ents the arms
OF the state; the revere, a scene on q cot
ton plantation. The wreath around il Is
composed Of wheat, corn and rice For
meriy orders were fewer, but the designs
were more elaborate Most Of the designs
that come to me now ] can cut in week
many of them In a day or two Contrast
that with the two mouths AMI half spent
on the cable medal That medal was Or
dsred by the cham Der Of commerce to COM
memorate the successful layln of the Field
cable shouli think that 500 worth Of
gold was put into the limited number Of
gold copies struck Oft. They were presented
to MIR. Field, tbs officers Of the vessels
which took part in laying the cable. and
others prominently concerned In the en-
t~rgrise
my day. remember that in 1910 the issue
OF the so-called shin-plasters (smail political
medalsl began One which struck of rep
resented Jackson coming out of q safe and
carrying bag OF money. The inscription
was: i take the responsibility During
to Maj Anderson Tor bis defense OF sumter,
and that commsmorating the victory Of tn,
Monitor" .. ....f....-
"In what metals do you generally strike
of your m ,dalsr
Most commonly In white metal. which
cioeely resemblss silver, and retains it's Ius-
paigns or any important celebration die
sinkers get out little white metal medals
with the busts OF the candidates or some de-
signs commemorative OF the celebration.
We strike these medals on by ths thou
sands They are hawked about on the
street and sold hy fancy dealers Be idss
white natal we oss brnnss, or more properly
speaking. bron 10 stained copper The pre-
cious metals are not often called for"
as there any favorite line OF designsl"
Formerly it was considered the thing
10 put . head OF Washington on a metal II
you could f1ni any pretext for so doing.
Now. the arm, Of the state In which the fair
or celebration nccurs Z, most frequently In