Evening star., 1902-02-22
AN OFFICIAL PORTRAIT
President Roosevelt's Fea-
lures Gut in Steel.
HIS BEST PHOTOGRAPH
WILL BE USED ON PAPER MONEY
IN THE FUTURE.
Made at the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing-Commemorative
Medals.
HIS BEST PHOTOGRAPH

Written for The Evening Star.
The official portrait of President Roose-
welt has been finished and stored away at
the bureau of engraving and printing
doubtless you are unaware of the fact
that Uncle Sam cuts the features of each
new chief executive into steel and locks the
plate away in great burglar-proof vault.
One such plate bears the face of each
President, beginning with Washington. No
other presidential portraits than those
printed from these plates are official.
These vignetteS are stored away for sew
eral reasons. 1t is customary to honor dead
Presidents by placing their features upon
official money of the United States Then.
again, if President die in Office an official
memorial souvenir is always prepared by
the bureau of engraving and printing This
bears the official vignette Only dead Pres
fdents are honored by the placing of their
portraits upon government securities. Off
claI memorials are engraved as tributes to
only those who die in harness. The memo
rails of President Mckinley to be diStrib-
uted at the time of the exercises to be at
tended by Prince Henry at the Capitol next
week. have already been engraved and
printed at the bureau. The committee OF
Congress having the ceremony in charge
has emphatically forbidden that these SOU
yenirs be issued to any one, not even the
press, in advance
Selected by Roosevelt
President Roosevet's official vignette
represents what he considers his best por-
trait. From all the hundreds of photo
graphs of which he has been the willing or
unwilling subject since he was nominated
for the vice presidency he selected one and
dispatched 1t. through Secretary Corteiyou
to Director Meredith of the bureau of en-
craving and printing. The vignette is es-
pecially interesting. therefore, because of
the fact that the chief magistrate regards
it as the pose doing him the most Justice.
It is a two-thirds view, showing the Pres
ident In the prime of health. He wears
glasses and the familiar, low-rolled "Roose-
welt collar" Director Meredith has just
had framed a complete set of presidential
vignettes from Washington's to Roose-
velt's, inclusive. Since the art of steel en-
craving was first applied in this country
these have been made during the lives and
administrations of their subjects.
Once having been placed upon any gov
ernment security. it becomes illegal to re
produce these official portraits. This Is
wise precaution which the government
takes against the counterfeiting art 1t
used to be customary for Secretaries of
the Treasury to issue sets of presidential
vignettes to favored individuals, but the
passage of the law forbidding reproduction
of any designs or figures on money. securi-
ties or stamps Of any form put an end to
this practice.
To Sit for His Medal
President Roosevelt is soon to sit for his
medal. You are probably unaware that the
mint bureau perpetuates the features of
each new chief magistrate upon bronze.
These presidential medals are sold to all
who may desire them. Director Of the
Mint Roberts has in his private office a
case containing the entire set, from John
Adams to Mckinley, inclusive. All those of
recent times have been struck at the Phil
adelphia mint. Mr.. Rooseyelts medal
would have been struck Immediately after
his succession had a suitable photograph
been in existence.
When he sits for his medal the President
must have his portrait taken In profile
view. Such a pose is considered requisite
by the mint bureau. Features upon
medals look fiat when reproduced in
the full face view, Only one presi-
that of the elder Harrison. Director Rob-
erts of the mint bureau has several times
sent to the White House for what the Pres
ident considers to be his best profile por-
trait, but as yet no photographer has been
permitted to pose the chief executive thus.
The photograph having been made to suit
the Presidents taste, it will be sent to the
chief artist Of the Philadelphia mint. The
latter will reproduce its features upon
medallion, about foot in diameter, COM
posed Of a mixture of beeswax, gum and
vermillion. The shaping of the relief de-
sign will be done with small tools Of wood.
an occasional touch of the thumb nail and
a brush with fine bristles. the latter being
used to work in the hair. The finished
medallion will then be electrotyped in
metal. The reproduction will be placed un-
der a blunt point guided by hand over
every line Of the medallion. This point
will be connected by a beam to another
point, tipped with a diamond drill. be-
meath which will rest a small disk of metal,
three inches in diameter. Every bit of re-
lief work upon the surface of the large
medallion will be reproduced, proportion
ately smaller, upon the small disk in relief
and vice versa. Thus the medallion in
cameo will be beautifully copied in intaglio
upon the little disk. The latter will be used
as a die from which the official Roosevelt
medals will be stamped.
Medals Will Be for Sale.
You will be able to purchase as many
Roosevelt medals as you may desire. They
will cost you 81 apiece, and will be struck
in bronze. All of the presidential medals
have been in bronze; all have cost the
same, and all have been of the same size
except that of John Adams. His is two
inches In diameter and may be had for u
dollar and half. While there was no pres
luential medal struck in honor of Washing