LOT Holabird-Kagin Americana  /  Mueller ~ Schmidtmann Western Americana BONANZA  / 

639

San Francisco,CA - Native Sons of the Golden West ~ NSGW - Framed Certificate :

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Western Americana Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
San Francisco,CA - Native Sons of the Golden West ~ NSGW - Framed Certificate :
The Native Sons of the Golden West was formed in 1875 by Albert Maver Winn. He was a member of the Fourth of July Celebration Committee in San Francisco, and wanted to have a long lasting group of men who were the essence of California and the California Gold Rush. This group was composed of the sons, and later daughters, of the California Pioneers, those who were in California before the discovery of gold, born after July 7, 1846, the day the American Flag was raised at Monterey and California “proclaimed under American rule.” It became apparent to the organization that all children born in California were special, and that the organization should embrace them. The original bylaws called for white men over 17. The racial and gender requirements were quickly dropped, particularly when Romauldo Pacheco, son of early the California governor applied, and when NDGW was established for the daughters.





From the beginning, the NSGW had bright, colorful displays, badges and parades reflecting their heritage in California, particularly their mining backgrounds. The group used the California bear as a regular symbol, along with a miner and gold pan. The first group in 1875 was comprised of 21 members, plus Winn as an honorary member. The group grew fairly quickly. “They were not men of prowess nor men of lordly race. They were just a group of enthusiastic youths,” according to Peter Conmy in The Origin and Purposes of the NSGW, 1966. These youths would later become a focal point in California heritage. As the original members reached mature ages, they were the ones responsible for the ornate NSGW badges and ribbons found in collections today. Over the next 100 years more than 200 different NSGW “parlors” were formed in California.

This 1908 certificate was issued at the Hayward, California Parlor to Anton S. Johnson and is signed by NSGW President M.G. Riggs and W.T. Knightly, Secretary. Little is known of Johnson, who died in 1964, or Riggs, except that he was one of the first in the region to own an automobile.





This certificate is in its original gold leaf frame and crude, bubbled glass. It has been rebrepacked relieve it of potential acid damage. Johnson’s original gold colored octagonal membership coin, mimicking the famous California $50 gold slug, comes with the certificate. 34 X 28”
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