Lot# 1326
Long Live the King. Cobb-unlisted; Washington Historical Buttons, p.12; Records of American Uniform and Historical Buttons-EG (line drawing); DeWitt-unlisted; Rulau/Fuld Medallic Portraits-unlisted. Very Fine to Extremely Fine. Brass, silvered or tinned. 163.0 gns. 36.2mm. Original shank. Single piece. Pale silver on the front, darker on the back. Cobb's descriptive labels on the back. LONG LIVE THE KING on a ribbon with decorative ends, crown above, crossed rose and thistle for England and Scotland below, dotted border around. Extremely rare. Albert did not have a specimen to illustrate in 1976 and used a line drawing, possibly of this piece. Outstanding quality, superior to the one to follow. This specimen was put away not long after it was made and did not come on the market until 1961. These are believed to have been struck in 1789, following King George III's recovery from porphyria. It is assumed that this type inspired the Long Live the President inscription found on some Washington Inaugural Buttons. This piece was bought for Cobb by Joseph Sawicki from Sotheby's (London) sale of the Duc de Meppen's collection (May 1, 1961). {cp8}(SEE COLOR PLATE)