United States. The Society of The Cincinnati Eagle Medal. Arthus Bertrand Type. An attractive left facing eagle badge composed of silver gilt, featuring outstretched wings with numerous carefully tooled feathers cascading downward and inward, with a white enamelled body detailed with gold decorative lines in a vertical zig-zag pattern identifying feathers, the head features a hooked beak and small black eye, surrounding the head is a green enamelled laurel wreath surmounted by a small gilt ring, the legs are styled in a layered honeycomb pattern each with three talons holding a sprig of a laurel branch crossing in front of the tail, the distinctive tail presents a cluster of feathers under the centre medallion and seven flared feathers identified by thin gold lines, obverse centre medallion depicts a light blue enamel sky and a rich green enamel ground with three senators presenting a sword to Cincinnatus, in a white surround inscribed OMNIA RELINQUIT SERVARE REMPUBLICAN (He abandoned everything to serve his country) beginning at 6 o’clock, reverse centre portrays a light blue enamel sky with the figure of Cincinnatus standing with a plow on green enamel ground, sunburst on his left and fortification on his right, in a white surround inscribed SOCIETAS CINCINNATORUM INSTITUTAS AD 1783 (Society of the Cincinnati, Instituted 1783), beginning at 6 o’clock, entire badge is suspended on a Cropper spiral loop, measures 30.8mm (w) x 51mm (h- inclusive of the laurel enamelled wreath and small suspension ring), weighs 26.2 grams (inclusive of ribbon), loss of green enamel to obverse of laurel sprigs held by the talons, wear and light chipping blue enamel on reverse centre, on original ribbon, overall very fine condition.
The Arthus Bertrand Eagle: The Arthurs Bertrand Eagle is identified on page 78 of Minor Myers Jr.’s book titled “The Insignia of The Society of the Cincinnati.” It was largely designed after the Delaware Eagle, for which production began in the early 1920s. The Society of France was reconstituted in 1925 and the Arthus Bertrand eagle became the official badge and was made available to members in 1926. This eagle remains the current badge of the French Society.
Footnote: The American Revolution began in 1776 and persisted until 1873 despite the decisive victory over the English at Yorktown in 1781. The constant presence of Americans and French Armies eventually resulted in the English signing of a peace treaty in September 1783.
Major General Henry Knox, General Washington’s Chief of Artillery, had the idea of creating a society long before the resolution of the war. However, it was only on April 15, 1783 that his idea of a fraternal patriotic organization were turned into a written proposal. The Society of the Cincinnati was established roughly one month later, with General George Washington serving as the first President General, until his death in 1799. Military personnel (those who served minimum three years or were dismissed) along with all continental officers were eligible to become members. Approximately 2400 officers joined the Society as original members and made a contribution of one months' pay towards the organization and the officer’s families. The principles of the order were as follows: “1. An incessant attention to preserve inviolate those exalted rights and liberties of human nature. 2. An unalterable determination to promote and cherish between the respective states the national honor. 3. To render permanent and cordial affection subsisting among the officers, to dictate brotherly kindness in all things and particularly extend to the most substantial acts of beneficence towards those officers and their families who unfortunately may be under the necessity of receiving it.”
The Insignia of the Society was designed by Major Pierre L’Enfant of the Continental Corps of Engineers. He decided that the medal should be no larger than a dollar, and should contain an eagle, as the bird is specific to the North American continent. The medal, generally known as the Eagle, was partially modelled after the French Order of Saint Louis and the Order of Military Merit. In October of 1783, L’Enfant was commissioned by the President General to sail to Paris and oversee the fabrication of the badges in 1784 by Duval and Francastel. The first group of forty-five were “made in a slight way” (measuring 31mm) costing $17 dollars each. For the other members, L’Enfant had a batch of 140 badges made to be sold to individual societies members, which were sold at $26 each. The Medals have since been manufactured by various American and French firms including Jeremiah Andrews, Tiffany & Co., Arthus Bertrand. In 1902, Bailey, Banks & Biddle were contracted to produce standard eagles and by the 1960s they were the official insignia maker.
The Eagles were largely made by hand, resulting in as many as twenty varieties and patterns. However, they all contain allusions to the Patron Saint of the Roman Dictator Cincinnatus. In a translation of Livy’s History of Rome, it is told that Lucius Quintius Cincinnatus, a citizen and farmer, was appointed Dictator when tidings from five horsemen threatened the city. He accepted the position and under his leadership, all potential dangers were driven away. Cincinnatus then resigned from his position and returned to his fields and agrarian lifestyle. For these actions, he is revered as the quintessential example of Roman simplicity and patriotism, and the Society aims to follow this precedent in all endeavours.
Criticism of the Society existed in the mid-1780s when citizens argued that this society of officers, adorned by badges, were claiming they had a duty to protect the liberties that the people fought and gave lives for. The strife became so rampant the Society was nearly abolished, however that action would have insulted the French, who were allowed to wear the badge and considered it an official decoration from the United States. The society forged on, however, membership numbers dropped to nearly 300 by the middle of the 19th century resulting in the dissolution of several state societies. By 1854, the rules of membership were altered, allowing the descendants of officers to join, regardless if the officer himself was an original member. This resulted in a flourish of members and an increase in interest. Although the Civil War delayed the vision to revive all societies, it offered a renewed sense of patriotism and encouraged the growth of the organization in both individual numbers and the re-establishment of previously lost societies.
As of 1938, the international headquarters is located at the Anderson House in Washington, D.C. Now in its third century, the Society promotes the public interest in the revolution through its library and museum collections, publications and other activities. The Eagle remains a rare and unique representation of the oldest hereditary society in the United States.