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Rare George Washington Medal Thermoplastic Case

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:325.00 USD Estimated At:400.00 - 600.00 USD
Rare George Washington Medal Thermoplastic Case
Washington Related
Very Rare George Washington Medal Thermoplastic Case
c. 1854 California Gold Rush Era, George Washington Portrait Medal, Thermoplastic or “Union Case” (Non Civil War) Design engraved by “F. GOOL.” Krainik 101. With CDV image of Washington, Choice Extremely Fine.
Original, very rare design, “George Washington Portrait Medal” design engraved by “F. GOOL” as seen below the bust, Thermoplastic Case, measures 3.75” x 3.25”, as listed in the popular reference as Krainik 101. It has a well hidden 1.75" lateral crack on the bottom outer edge of the front cover, well away from any designs. There is a large central bust of George Washington in a circular medallic design, surrounded by historic text which reads, “FIRST IN WAR FIRST IN PEACE & FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF HIS COUNTRYMEN.”

Located above, at the top, is a Federal Heraldic Shield with Crossed Flags and located at bottom is a Scroll Document with a military style Sword underneath. In addition, there are Four, Five-Pointed Stars placed within each corner. The back of this case carries the identical design and it contains a cut down to fit Carte de Visite image titled “George Washington. - Rembrandt Peale.” with the rare period sticker of “Lawrence & Houseworth. - No. 637 CLAY STREET, SAN FRANCISCO.”

All is under glass and has a floating decorative gilt metal surround frame. The back inside cover has the imprint, “GENUINE UNION CASE... S. PECK’S PATENT Oct. 24, 1854...” A truly wonderful, exceedingly rare c. 1854 California Gold Rush Era, George Washington Portrait Medal, Thermoplastic Case.
Starting with the term “Union Case,” unlike many people believe, the name has nothing to do with the American Civil War and the battle between the Union and Confederate States. The term Union was coined in 1854 by Samuel Peck who was a daguerreotypist in the United States, and who invented the process of making the early plastic cases used for protecting and housing the daguerreotype image which is very prone to any type of scratch or abrasion.

The Term "Union" refers to the material construction of the cases, and is derived from the "union" of the cases components; shellac, sawdust, other chemicals and dye for coloring the cases, which was usually black or brown. When these components were mixed together, heated and pressed into a mold, the parts of a Union Case are formed and because of the way they were made, the parts of the cases could take on fine, and in some cases, elaborate details which most Union cases display.

This composition material, was and is still called Thermoplastic, and is actually one of the earliest forms of plastic. Before the Thermoplastic Union Case was invented, Daguerreotype or Ambrotype cases were usually made from wood and covered with very thin leather. Sometimes they were even made from other material and covered with mother of pearl and silver wire inlay.