January 2003 Americana Catalog.

Lot# 1361

General Washington Pater Patriae [Father of the Country]. Cobb 20, WHB.27, RAU.WI.19B, DeW.GW1789.41, F/R.B.1014. Fine to Very Fine. Brass shell, pewter backed, iron shank. 85.4 gns. 25.0mm. Original shank. Composite, three pieces. Deep brown with some golden highlights. Back medium silver gray color. Cobb's descriptive label on back. Rim chipped at upper right. In the center, Washington in military uniform and tricorn hat, GENERAL WASHINGTON around the top, PATER PATRIAE at the bottom. Extremely rare: Albert rated this as R-6, with three to five known. Cobb knew of six. This, the Albert plate piece, and the one in New Netherlands' 59th sale, lot 1086 (to Piercy) are the only two WHB.27's known to the cataloguer. WHB.26, the shell on bone piece ex Fuld, is unique. Cobb obtained his specimen of the Pater Patriae in 1957 from a New York family that owned two as heirlooms. His first attempt at acquiring one failed, when it was sold to a friend of the family's. His second try was successful, working through an antique dealer who swapped furniture for the button. Even better for Cobb, the piece he got was described by the owner as ``...a better one than the first one as the lettering is much plainer...I did not clean it at all.'' {cp8}(SEE COLOR PLATE)