constanius Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 1855 26th November. San Francisco was celebrating, in South Park, the defeat of the Russians at Sebastopol in the Crimean War. The French eagle savages the Russian double-headed eagle. . The British lion tramples the Russian flag (a pair of feet protude from under it). MANIFESTATION EN L'HONNEUR DES SUCCES DES ALLIES EN CRIMEE. MANIFESTATION IN HONOR OF THE SUCCESS OF THE ALLIES IN THE CRIMEA. EXERGUE; SAN FRANCISCO/26 NOVEMBER/1855 By V & G 33mm W.M I know that technically I am in the wrong forum as you are coin people. But I thought you might be interested to see this medal because of the Russian San Fran connection. Appears to be very rare, this actual medal has been shown in the Russian Numismatic Society Journal and Newsletter. Any comments welcomed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexbq2 Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Oh look at what they did to the Russian eagle Why is this San Francisco token in French? And why is this celebration taking place almost 3 months after "le fait accompli"? What? the good news did not travel fast in those days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constanius Posted July 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Oh look at what they did to the Russian eagle Why is this San Francisco token in French? And why is this celebration taking place almost 3 months after "le fait accompli"? What? the good news did not travel fast in those days? Thanks for your interesting questions. The First Transcontinental Telegraph System Was Completed October 24, 1861 The Pony Express, established a year before the beginning of the American Civil War, reflected the need to provide fast and reliable communication with the West. In 1845, it took President James K. Polk six months to deliver a message to the Far West. Messages in those days had to travel around the tip of South America or across the isthmus of Panama. By 1860, the fastest route was the Butterfield Stage line from St. Louis, Missouri, through El Paso, Texas, which took 25 days. It was almost 600 miles (950 km) shorter to deliver the mail over a central or northern route. There were concerns, however, whether these alternatives were viable during the winter snows. September 8.1855 The French take the Malakoff. The English are repulsed from the Redan. In the night of this day the Russians evacuate the south side of Sebastopol after sinking their ships and blowing up all the defences of the place. 1855 September 10th England: Thanksgiving in all the churches of the Establishment for the fall of Sebastopol. News took a long time to cross the ocean as well. The transatlantic cable bridged the ocean between North America and Europe after 1855, it expedited communication between the two. Whereas it would normally take at least ten days to deliver a message by ship, it now took a matter of minutes by telegraph. A good story of racing to beat the news Remme's Great Ride A PRELIMINARY treaty of peace between the United States and Great Britain was concluded at Versailles, January 23, 1783; the news reached Philadelphia March 23 By 1855 it was estimated some 10,000 French people resided in San Francisco, including French Canadians. Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany requested Father Blaive come to San Francisco and minister to the Citys growing French community. Father Blaives opportunity to build a French church in the City arrived that same year, following the French military victory, defeating the Russians, in the Crimean War at Sebastopol. A great victory celebration took place on Nov. 26, 1855, only 2 and a half months later. in South Park (between Second and Third Streets) where Father Blaive gave a rousing speech, pledging to build a church in honor of Notre Dame des Victoires. This medal might have been part of the fund-raising for the church. Obviously it took awhile to organize the party as well. An Italian connection: Ghirardelli the chocolate maker, was a visibly successful Italian in San Francisco, but not the only one. Nicola Larco, (26) also a founding partner of Buenaventura, was another. The two men became San Francisco's pro-forma Italian VIPs, serving in 1855 as delegates to a local celebration of a Crimean War victory that their compatriots in Piedmont-Sardinia helped win against Russia with the armies of France, England and Turkey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Interesting medal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grivna1726 Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 I know that technically I am in the wrong forum as you are coin people. Thank you for posting this most interesting medal. Coins and medals are numismatically related and often complementary. Coin collections are much enhanced by the inclusion of related medals. I am continually impressed by the research skills and historical appreciation of medal collectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IgorS Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Interesting medal, but not too many collectors in Russia would be interested in it, for obvious reasons. If you look at the original Peter the Great Northern war medals by Muller - they can bring around $40K each in auctions. The same engraver, but the other side's victories - bring the fraction of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
De Orc Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Very nice medal and a great write up to go with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grivna1726 Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 The French eagle savages the Russian double-headed eagle. . I thought that France usually used a rooster as its symbolic national bird rather than an eagle. I'm wondering if the eagle represents the alliance, rather than France alone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexbq2 Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Thank you for this very interesting information Constanius! This certainly puts things into perspective (historically). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexbq2 Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 I thought that France usually used a rooster as its symbolic national bird rather than an eagle. I'm wondering if the eagle represents the alliance, rather than France alone? I think the eagle was adopted by the imperial France while the rooster is the symbol of the Republic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constanius Posted July 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 I thought that France usually used a rooster as its symbolic national bird rather than an eagle. I'm wondering if the eagle represents the alliance, rather than France alone? Very interesting comment and supposition The Gallic rooster (French: le coq gaulois) In Roman times, 2000 years ago, France was known as Gaul. The Latin word "Gallus" not only meant "a person who lives in Gaul" but also was the word for "rooster". The Romans liked this joke, and over a period of time, this play on words meant that the rooster came to represent the Gauls. Napoleon introduced the symbol of the eagle to replace the rooster, since he felt it was more "important" and kingly. Although they were presented with Regimental Colours, the regiments of Napoleon I tended to carry at their head the Imperial Eagle. This was the bronze sculpture of an eagle weighing 1.85 kg, mounted on top of the blue regimental flagpole. They were made from six separately cast pieces designed along Roman lines and, when assembled, measured 310 mm in height and 255 mm in width. On the base would be the regiment's number or, in the case of the Guard, Garde Impériale. The Eagle bore the same significance to French Imperial regiments as the colours did to British regiments - to lose the Eagle would bring shame to the regiment, who had pledged to defend it to the death. Napoleon III, was Emperor of the French (1852-1870) when the Crimean War was fought and the French Imperial Eagle still outshone le coq which had to wait till later in the century to regain its place as the National Emblem. "While the Imperial eagle floats in lofty air and the bird of prey of Russia is obliged to hide its head, One thinks that an eagle is an eagle, whether it be in France or in Russia. This is, however, a *mistake, and an English journalist has taught us a lesson in ornithology. All depends on the company which he flies in :-if it goes a-hunting with the British lion, it is an Imperial eagle of lofty flight; but if it be hoovering alone, over a chronic " sick man," it is a vile bird of prey. It is a pity that the have also told us what sort of a bird the Austrian double-headed eagle is" It seems that the eagle on the medal only represents France. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grivna1726 Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 It seems that the eagle on the medal only represents France. Thank you for a very helpful and informative reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constanius Posted August 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 Picture from this site http://foundsf.org/index.php?title=Early_Development_Around_Mission_Bay,_1850-1857 available under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ Non commercial share alike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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