RCC Half Cent and Saint Gaudens (long w/ 36 pic links)

INTRODUCTION

I had planned a day trip, a drive from southern Connecticut to the Green
Mountains of
Vermont, for Sunday October 17th. When I discussed my plans with a client and
friend he
gave me two tourist maps....one for Vermont and one for New Hampshire.

The night before I left I was studying both maps planning my route for the next
day’s trip
when I noticed one of the featured attractions on the New Hampshire map was the
Saint
Gaudens National Historic Site. It was close enough to where I would have to
leave
Interstate 91 to cut over to the Green Mountains that I figured it might be
worth a quick
look. I spent a half hour there on the 17th and decided it would be a great
place to take
the RCC half cent so I could finally send it on to the next host after keeping
the thing for
far too long....about a year and a half (shame on me).

So the following Saturday, October 23rd, I ventured north again planning to
spend a
couple of hours at the Site before cutting over to New Hampshire’s White
Mountains and
Mt. Washington.

THE RCC HALF CENT VISITS SAINT GAUDENS

To get to the Saint Gaudens National Historic Site most will travel north on
Interstate 91
along the Vermont side of the Connecticut River which forms the border between
Vermont and New Hampshire. You will exit at Windor, Vermont and cross the
Connecticut River to Cornish, New Hampshire via the Windsor covered bridge:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg001.jpg

At 450 feet this is the longest two-span covered bridge in the world. The sign
above the
entrance to the bridge reads “Walk Your Horses Or Pay Two Dollar Fine�.

After exiting the bridge you will turn left onto New Hampshire Route 12A and
drive about
2-1/2 miles to the entrance road to the Saint Gaudens Site. A long and winding
uphill
drive will take you to the main parking area which has space for perhaps 30
cars. Just
prior to reaching the main parking area there is a field to handle overflow
parking and
another sign indicates a handicap parking area further up the drive.

After exiting your car you will stop at a ticket booth at the edge of the
parking lot where a
friendly Park Service employee will take your $5 admission fee, offer you
brochures, a
pass for the scheduled guided tours and explain the main features of the site.
The
admission fee is only for persons over 16 and the receipt is good for 7 days so
I got two
stops for the price of one.

Walking across the drive towards the house you will first encounter the sign
announcing
your arrival at the site. The RCC half cent decided to stop here for it’s
first pictu

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg002.jpg

After snapping this picture I quickly headed for the visitor’s center and
it’s restrooms to
answer nature’s call (actually she was screaming). The visitor’s center is
manned by more
friendly Park Service employees and contains a gift shop....which I skipped.

Leaving the visitor’s center I headed back for the main house:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg003.jpg

The house was originally built in 1800 as an Inn and known locally as
Huggin’s Folly.
After first renting the house for a time, Saint Gaudens purchased it as a
summer home in
1885 and renamed it Aspet in honor of his father’s birthplace in France. The
large
thornless honeylocust in front of the house was planted by Saint Gaudens in
1886 and is
now 110 feet tall.

To the left of the picture of the house (in the background) you can see a
portion of the
Little Studio:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg004.jpg

This studio was converted from a barn and was where Saint Gaudens worked. His
assistants worked in a much larger studio that was destroyed by fire, rebuilt
and destroyed
by fire once again in 1944. In order to view the inside of this building you
must take one
of the guided tours. One of these tours was scheduled to start only minutes
after I left. I
wish I had stuck around a little longer as I later learned it contains more of
his works,
including a half size version of his Diana sculpture. The tour also gets you
into the house
which still contains it’s original furnishings.

At the rear of the house is the formal garden:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg005.jpg

From the garden you can view Mt. Ascutney across the Connecticut River in
Vermont:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg006.jpg

To the left of the garden (when facing the rear of the house) is a small statue
of Hermes:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg007.jpg

While the nudity caused the half cent to blush, it still asked to be
photographed with
Hermes:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg008.jpg

A bit flushed, the half cent then decided to rest on this bench at the rear of
the garden. The
bench is embellished with twin plaster busts quite similar to the Liberty that
adorns the
Saint Gaudens cent (more on that later):

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg009.jpg

To the right of the garden, next to the Little Studio, is the Pan Fountain.
While the half
cent agreed to pose for a pic, it was a bit nervous at being so close to the
water when it
saw the coins that had been tossed into the fountain by other visitors:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg010.jpg

Next we headed towards the “galleries� and stopped for the half cent to
pose at the foot of
the copy of the Farragut monument. The original, Saint Gaudens’ first major
public
commission, is in New York City. However, the base shown in this picture is the
original
sandstone base. The New York statue now sits on a granite replica installed in
1934 after
the original began to deteriorate. This pic was taken with a 16mm full-frame
fisheye lens
(resulting in the curved steps). The lens has a 180 degree field of view and
incredible
depth of field...I was only a couple of feet from the lower step when I took
the pic. I have
to be cautious when using this lens as a slight tilt downward will result in my
feet entering
the pictu

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg011.jpg

To the left of the Farragut monument enclosure is the Picture Gallery. This
gallery houses
works by various artists. I took a quick look inside and saw small modern
sculptures that
didn’t interest me much so I moved on (time was precious). However, I did
stop long
enough to take a pic of the half cent with this bronze plaque for Henry W.
Maxwell next
to the entrance to the Picture Gallery:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg012.jpg

Between the Pciture Gallery and my ultimate destination, the New Glallery, is
an atrium.
The walkways at the sides of the atrium feature various busts and bas relief
pieces. In the
center of the atrium is a reflecting pool complete with spitting guilded frog.
At the far end
of the atrium is a 4’x8’ guilded bronze version of Saint Gaudens’ Amor
Caritas. Here is a
pic taken with the full-frame fisheye lens:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg013.jpg

The half cent thought this would be a good place for another pic so I placed
him in the
crook of the tree branch visible in the wide shot. This was also taken with the
full-frame
fisheye lens:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg014.jpg

Here is a closer view of the same pic. I cropped into the center of the slide
and scanned at
a higher resolution:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg015.jpg

Next we entered the New Gallery. Here is an interior shot also taken with the
fisheye lens:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg016.jpg

At the left of this pic is a plaster copy of the moument Saint Gaudens did
honoring Robert
Louis Stevenson. I couldn’t get a heads-on pic of this piece due to the
display case in the
middle of the floor. At the far end of the room is a copy of The Puritan, Saint
Gaudens
also did another piece titled The Pilgrim which was a variation of this
sculpture. The next
pic shows the half cent at the foot of The Puritan:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg024.jpg

Just to my left when I took the wide shot of the gallery is a bust of William
Tecumseh
Sherman. Saint Gaudens also did a large piece featuring Sherman on horseback
behind a
winged Victory that resides at the 59th Street entrance to Central Park in New
York. Here
is the half cent with the bust:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg026.jpg

Directly behind me in the wide shot was a small model of Saint Gaudens’
second version
of Diana. The original was intended to be a weathervane atop Madison Square
Garden.
The next pic shows the half cent with the model:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg025.jpg

THE PLASTERS

The items in the New Gallery of most interest to coin colectors are contained
in display
cases visible on the right side of the wide shot....the original plasters for
the coins designed
by Saint Gaudens. But first a word about the pictures of these plasters. These
pictures wre
taken in available light and hand held with relatively slow film. As such I was
shooting at
slow shutter speeds with the lens apertures wide open resulting in very little
depth of
field...especially in those shots taken with my 50mm f/1.4 lens. As a result in
some of the
shots the half cent will be out of focus.

Here is the half cent with the plaster for the $20 Gold piece obverse:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg017.jpg

Here is the half cent with the plaster for the $20 Gold piece reverse:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg018.jpg

Here is the half cent with the plaster for the $10 Gold piece obverse:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg019.jpg

Here is the half cent with the plaster for the $10 Gold piece reverse:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg020.jpg

Apparently, St. Gaudens considered using the $10 reverse on the $20 gold piece
as well
(the half cent was AWOL for this picture):

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg021.jpg

Not all collectors are aware that Saint Gaudens also designed a one cent piece.
We can
probably blame Abe Lincoln for the fact that these were never produced. Here is
the half
cent with the plaster for the one cent obverse (nice Liberty):

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg022.jpg

And here is the one cent reverse with the half cent AWOL once again:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg023.jpg

Also exhibited are actual examples of the $10 and $20 gold pieces as well as
the Buffalo
nickel, the Mercury dime and the Walking Liberty half dollar. The reason these
coins are
exhibited is that the coins’ designers, James Earle Fraser and Adolph Weinman
both
worked as assistants to Saint Gaudens.

FINISHING THE TOUR OF THE NEW GALLERY

A side door in the New Gallery leads you outside to a bust of Abraham Lincoln.
Saint
Gaudens also did two large monuments of Lincoln....one a seated Lincoln and the
other a
standing Lincoln. Here is a full shot of the bust on it’s pedestal:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg027.jpg

And here’s a close-up with the half cent:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg028.jpg

Also out of view, to my left, when I took the wide shot of the gallery interior
was this
display case containing sketches and models used in the design of the Shaw
Memorial:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg029.jpg

This memorial was commisiioned by the family of Robert Gould Shaw, chosen by
the
Massachusetts Governor to command the first African American regiment raised in
the
north during the Civil War. Saint Gaudens’ first sketches for an equestrian
statue were
rejected by the Shaw family as a treatment too grand for a colonel. He then
decided to
depict Shaw with his men; these soldiers assumed a greater importance as work
on the
monument progressed. Shaw was played by Matthew Broderick in the movie
“Glory�
co-starring Denzel Washington whose role earned him an Oscar as best supporting
actor.
A reproduction cast from the original plaster mold is at the Saint Gaudens
site:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg030.jpg

Here is a closer shot with the half cent:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg031.jpg

Next we have a shot of a copy of the Saint Gaudens’ sculpture for the grave
of the wife of
historian Henry Adams:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg032.jpg

and a closer shot with the half cent:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg033.jpg

Finally we move on to the “Temple�:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg034.jpg

This marble monument was modeled after a wooden version used as part of the set
for a
play staged by Saint Gaudens’ assistants. The marble version was carved in
1914 (seven
years after Saint Gaudens’ death) and contains the ashes of Saint Gaudens,
his wife, his
son, his brother and his brother’s wife. Here is a closer shot with the half
cent:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg035.jpg

and closer still:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg036.jpg

CONCLUSION

Well, that pretty much wraps up my two hour stay. I’ll be going back next
spring.

If I remember correctly, the entire estate consists of 150 acres and there is
much I didn’t
see. In addition to the aforementioned guided tours there are a couple of
hiking trails and
a small building called the Ravine Studio. This studio is used by the resident
sculptor and
according to the friendly Park Service employee, you can stop by and watch him
work or
chat with him. The site is apparently open year round, but full access to all
of the exhibits
only occurs from early may through the end of October.

For more information you can visit their website at:
http://www.sgnhs.org/saga.html

An birdseye rendering of the site:
http://www.sgnhs.org/BIRDSEYE.jpg

A smaller version of the birdseye rendering with numbered points of interest
and links:
http://www.sgnhs.org/virtual.html

























++++++++++
Phil DeMayo - always here for my fellow Stooge
When bidding online always sit on your helmet
Just say NO to counterfeits

Son of a %@$#!!!

I typed this up in MS Works, saved it as a text document and cut and pasted it
into my post....the formatting is showing up here as absolutely unreadable and
the links aren't clickable.

For clickable links check out the Google version:

http://babyurl.com/cWTvZp
++++++++++
Phil DeMayo - always here for my fellow Stooge
When bidding online always sit on your helmet
Just say NO to counterfeits

"Phil DeMayo" wrote in message
...
INTRODUCTION

Very nicely done, Phil.. that's a magazine-quality presentation, or could
be..

What kind of film did you shoot on??.. The color saturation is beautiful..

Harv

"Harv" wrote:

Very nicely done, Phil.. that's a magazine-quality presentation, or
could be..

Well, maybe the basis for one...but thanks.

What kind of film did you shoot on??.. The color saturation is beautiful..

A few of the pics were shot using FujiColor 200 print film, but the vast
majority were shot with FujiChrome Astia 100 Professional slide film.

I just started trying this film (picked up 10 rolls on eBay). From what I've
read it is currently the finest grained film available with the super color
saturation of Fuji's legendary Velvia slide film.


++++++++++
Phil DeMayo - always here for my fellow Stooge
When bidding online always sit on your helmet
Just say NO to counterfeits

I spent a half hour there on the 17th and decided it would be a great
place to take
the RCC half cent so I could finally send it on to the next host after
keeping
the thing for
far too long

Sorry again... Is this half cent some kind of group souvenir?

Fernando

On 02 Dec 2004 05:17:02 GMT, ulsion (Phil DeMayo) is alleged to
have written:

*MAJOR snip*

Excellent...I think that post took me longer to digest than any other RCC post!

Bruce

Phil, it's been two days since I could receive any newsgroup messages, so I
am a little late in expressing my appreciation for you rcc half cent post.
Very entertaining and educational. I am wondering, though, did the rest of
humanity keep their distance from the eccentric fellow that was frequently
posing a small round disc of metal in all of his photographs? I did notice
that there were no people in any of the shots, background or anywhere.

Bill





"Phil DeMayo" wrote in message
...
INTRODUCTION

I had planned a day trip, a drive from southern Connecticut to the Green
Mountains of
Vermont, for Sunday October 17th. When I discussed my plans with a client
and
friend he
gave me two tourist maps....one for Vermont and one for New Hampshire.

The night before I left I was studying both maps planning my route for the
next
day's trip
when I noticed one of the featured attractions on the New Hampshire map
was the
Saint
Gaudens National Historic Site. It was close enough to where I would have
to
leave
Interstate 91 to cut over to the Green Mountains that I figured it might
be
worth a quick
look. I spent a half hour there on the 17th and decided it would be a
great
place to take
the RCC half cent so I could finally send it on to the next host after
keeping
the thing for
far too long....about a year and a half (shame on me).

So the following Saturday, October 23rd, I ventured north again planning
to
spend a
couple of hours at the Site before cutting over to New Hampshire's White
Mountains and
Mt. Washington.

THE RCC HALF CENT VISITS SAINT GAUDENS

To get to the Saint Gaudens National Historic Site most will travel north
on
Interstate 91
along the Vermont side of the Connecticut River which forms the border
between
Vermont and New Hampshire. You will exit at Windor, Vermont and cross the
Connecticut River to Cornish, New Hampshire via the Windsor covered
bridge:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg001.jpg

At 450 feet this is the longest two-span covered bridge in the world. The
sign
above the
entrance to the bridge reads "Walk Your Horses Or Pay Two Dollar Fine".

After exiting the bridge you will turn left onto New Hampshire Route 12A
and
drive about
2-1/2 miles to the entrance road to the Saint Gaudens Site. A long and
winding
uphill
drive will take you to the main parking area which has space for perhaps
30
cars. Just
prior to reaching the main parking area there is a field to handle
overflow
parking and
another sign indicates a handicap parking area further up the drive.

After exiting your car you will stop at a ticket booth at the edge of the
parking lot where a
friendly Park Service employee will take your $5 admission fee, offer you
brochures, a
pass for the scheduled guided tours and explain the main features of the
site.
The
admission fee is only for persons over 16 and the receipt is good for 7
days so
I got two
stops for the price of one.

Walking across the drive towards the house you will first encounter the
sign
announcing
your arrival at the site. The RCC half cent decided to stop here for it's
first pictu

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg002.jpg

After snapping this picture I quickly headed for the visitor's center and
it's restrooms to
answer nature's call (actually she was screaming). The visitor's center is
manned by more
friendly Park Service employees and contains a gift shop....which I
skipped.

Leaving the visitor's center I headed back for the main house:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg003.jpg

The house was originally built in 1800 as an Inn and known locally as
Huggin's Folly.
After first renting the house for a time, Saint Gaudens purchased it as a
summer home in
1885 and renamed it Aspet in honor of his father's birthplace in France.
The
large
thornless honeylocust in front of the house was planted by Saint Gaudens
in
1886 and is
now 110 feet tall.

To the left of the picture of the house (in the background) you can see a
portion of the
Little Studio:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg004.jpg

This studio was converted from a barn and was where Saint Gaudens worked.
His
assistants worked in a much larger studio that was destroyed by fire,
rebuilt
and destroyed
by fire once again in 1944. In order to view the inside of this building
you
must take one
of the guided tours. One of these tours was scheduled to start only
minutes
after I left. I
wish I had stuck around a little longer as I later learned it contains
more of
his works,
including a half size version of his Diana sculpture. The tour also gets
you
into the house
which still contains it's original furnishings.

At the rear of the house is the formal garden:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg005.jpg

From the garden you can view Mt. Ascutney across the Connecticut River in
Vermont:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg006.jpg

To the left of the garden (when facing the rear of the house) is a small
statue
of Hermes:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg007.jpg

While the nudity caused the half cent to blush, it still asked to be
photographed with
Hermes:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg008.jpg

A bit flushed, the half cent then decided to rest on this bench at the
rear of
the garden. The
bench is embellished with twin plaster busts quite similar to the Liberty
that
adorns the
Saint Gaudens cent (more on that later):

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg009.jpg

To the right of the garden, next to the Little Studio, is the Pan
Fountain.
While the half
cent agreed to pose for a pic, it was a bit nervous at being so close to
the
water when it
saw the coins that had been tossed into the fountain by other visitors:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg010.jpg

Next we headed towards the "galleries" and stopped for the half cent to
pose at the foot of
the copy of the Farragut monument. The original, Saint Gaudens' first
major
public
commission, is in New York City. However, the base shown in this picture
is the
original
sandstone base. The New York statue now sits on a granite replica
installed in
1934 after
the original began to deteriorate. This pic was taken with a 16mm
full-frame
fisheye lens
(resulting in the curved steps). The lens has a 180 degree field of view
and
incredible
depth of field...I was only a couple of feet from the lower step when I
took
the pic. I have
to be cautious when using this lens as a slight tilt downward will result
in my
feet entering
the pictu

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg011.jpg

To the left of the Farragut monument enclosure is the Picture Gallery.
This
gallery houses
works by various artists. I took a quick look inside and saw small modern
sculptures that
didn't interest me much so I moved on (time was precious). However, I did
stop long
enough to take a pic of the half cent with this bronze plaque for Henry W.
Maxwell next
to the entrance to the Picture Gallery:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg012.jpg

Between the Pciture Gallery and my ultimate destination, the New Glallery,
is
an atrium.
The walkways at the sides of the atrium feature various busts and bas
relief
pieces. In the
center of the atrium is a reflecting pool complete with spitting guilded
frog.
At the far end
of the atrium is a 4'x8' guilded bronze version of Saint Gaudens' Amor
Caritas. Here is a
pic taken with the full-frame fisheye lens:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg013.jpg

The half cent thought this would be a good place for another pic so I
placed
him in the
crook of the tree branch visible in the wide shot. This was also taken
with the
full-frame
fisheye lens:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg014.jpg

Here is a closer view of the same pic. I cropped into the center of the
slide
and scanned at
a higher resolution:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg015.jpg

Next we entered the New Gallery. Here is an interior shot also taken with
the
fisheye lens:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg016.jpg

At the left of this pic is a plaster copy of the moument Saint Gaudens did
honoring Robert
Louis Stevenson. I couldn't get a heads-on pic of this piece due to the
display case in the
middle of the floor. At the far end of the room is a copy of The Puritan,
Saint
Gaudens
also did another piece titled The Pilgrim which was a variation of this
sculpture. The next
pic shows the half cent at the foot of The Puritan:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg024.jpg

Just to my left when I took the wide shot of the gallery is a bust of
William
Tecumseh
Sherman. Saint Gaudens also did a large piece featuring Sherman on
horseback
behind a
winged Victory that resides at the 59th Street entrance to Central Park in
New
York. Here
is the half cent with the bust:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg026.jpg

Directly behind me in the wide shot was a small model of Saint Gaudens'
second version
of Diana. The original was intended to be a weathervane atop Madison
Square
Garden.
The next pic shows the half cent with the model:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg025.jpg

THE PLASTERS

The items in the New Gallery of most interest to coin colectors are
contained
in display
cases visible on the right side of the wide shot....the original plasters
for
the coins designed
by Saint Gaudens. But first a word about the pictures of these plasters.
These
pictures wre
taken in available light and hand held with relatively slow film. As such
I was
shooting at
slow shutter speeds with the lens apertures wide open resulting in very
little
depth of
field...especially in those shots taken with my 50mm f/1.4 lens. As a
result in
some of the
shots the half cent will be out of focus.

Here is the half cent with the plaster for the $20 Gold piece obverse:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg017.jpg

Here is the half cent with the plaster for the $20 Gold piece reverse:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg018.jpg

Here is the half cent with the plaster for the $10 Gold piece obverse:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg019.jpg

Here is the half cent with the plaster for the $10 Gold piece reverse:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg020.jpg

Apparently, St. Gaudens considered using the $10 reverse on the $20 gold
piece
as well
(the half cent was AWOL for this picture):

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg021.jpg

Not all collectors are aware that Saint Gaudens also designed a one cent
piece.
We can
probably blame Abe Lincoln for the fact that these were never produced.
Here is
the half
cent with the plaster for the one cent obverse (nice Liberty):

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg022.jpg

And here is the one cent reverse with the half cent AWOL once again:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg023.jpg

Also exhibited are actual examples of the $10 and $20 gold pieces as well
as
the Buffalo
nickel, the Mercury dime and the Walking Liberty half dollar. The reason
these
coins are
exhibited is that the coins' designers, James Earle Fraser and Adolph
Weinman
both
worked as assistants to Saint Gaudens.

FINISHING THE TOUR OF THE NEW GALLERY

A side door in the New Gallery leads you outside to a bust of Abraham
Lincoln.
Saint
Gaudens also did two large monuments of Lincoln....one a seated Lincoln
and the
other a
standing Lincoln. Here is a full shot of the bust on it's pedestal:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg027.jpg

And here's a close-up with the half cent:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg028.jpg

Also out of view, to my left, when I took the wide shot of the gallery
interior
was this
display case containing sketches and models used in the design of the Shaw
Memorial:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg029.jpg

This memorial was commisiioned by the family of Robert Gould Shaw, chosen
by
the
Massachusetts Governor to command the first African American regiment
raised in
the
north during the Civil War. Saint Gaudens' first sketches for an
equestrian
statue were
rejected by the Shaw family as a treatment too grand for a colonel. He
then
decided to
depict Shaw with his men; these soldiers assumed a greater importance as
work
on the
monument progressed. Shaw was played by Matthew Broderick in the movie
"Glory"
co-starring Denzel Washington whose role earned him an Oscar as best
supporting
actor.
A reproduction cast from the original plaster mold is at the Saint Gaudens
site:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg030.jpg

Here is a closer shot with the half cent:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg031.jpg

Next we have a shot of a copy of the Saint Gaudens' sculpture for the
grave
of the wife of
historian Henry Adams:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg032.jpg

and a closer shot with the half cent:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg033.jpg

Finally we move on to the "Temple":

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg034.jpg

This marble monument was modeled after a wooden version used as part of
the set
for a
play staged by Saint Gaudens' assistants. The marble version was carved in
1914 (seven
years after Saint Gaudens' death) and contains the ashes of Saint Gaudens,
his wife, his
son, his brother and his brother's wife. Here is a closer shot with the
half
cent:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg035.jpg

and closer still:

http://members.aol.com/flip1948/SaintGaudens/sg036.jpg

CONCLUSION

Well, that pretty much wraps up my two hour stay. I'll be going back next
spring.

If I remember correctly, the entire estate consists of 150 acres and there
is
much I didn't
see. In addition to the aforementioned guided tours there are a couple of
hiking trails and
a small building called the Ravine Studio. This studio is used by the
resident
sculptor and
according to the friendly Park Service employee, you can stop by and watch
him
work or
chat with him. The site is apparently open year round, but full access to
all
of the exhibits
only occurs from early may through the end of October.

For more information you can visit their website at:
http://www.sgnhs.org/saga.html

An birdseye rendering of the site:
http://www.sgnhs.org/BIRDSEYE.jpg

A smaller version of the birdseye rendering with numbered points of
interest
and links:
http://www.sgnhs.org/virtual.html

























++++++++++
Phil DeMayo - always here for my fellow Stooge
When bidding online always sit on your helmet
Just say NO to counterfeits

Phil wrote: The visitors center is manned by more friendly park service
employees and contains a gift shop....which I skipped. snip Phil, you
skipped the gift shop???. The gift shop might have been the high point
of the tour.

"Phil DeMayo" wrote in message
...

Snip

For more information you can visit their website at:
http://www.sgnhs.org/saga.html
++++++++++
Phil DeMayo


I think this post should be voted, "RCC post of the year"!
Great story Phil.

Dale

On Thu, 2 Dec 2004 10:14:00 +0100, "Fernando de la Cuadra"
wrote:

I spent a half hour there on the 17th and decided it would be a great
place to take
the RCC half cent so I could finally send it on to the next host after
keeping
the thing for
far too long

Sorry again... Is this half cent some kind of group souvenir?

Fernando


Yes, you may wish to do a search on Google Groups for "RCC Mint."


BLReed

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