Tassie Coin Impressions

Intaglio

The following is a brief overview of a post on EngravedGem.com, the sister site to MyIntaglios.com. To go to the blog page CLICK HERE or use the link at the end of this summary post.

The Tassie’s, James (1735-1799) and William (1777-1860), were primarily known for their plaster, sulfur and paste intaglio gem impressions, but they (primarily William) also produced impressions of ancient coins.  This aspect of their business, which resulted in well over 1,000 impressions, has been rarely reported on and is little known.  In fact, even though images of coin impressions, in general, are plentiful in publications and online, images of coin impressions with source credits are very difficult to find.

The 1820 and 1830 Tassie Catalogs attest to their coin impression production.  In addition, their letters to Alexander Wilson, a bookseller in Glasgow, as presented in THE LETTERS OF JAMES AND WILLIAM TASSIE TO ALEXANDER WILSON 1778 TO 1826 give many details about this work.

Evidence is provided supporting the belief that the red sulfur impressions shown in the accompanying photo are Tassie coin impressions.

To read the full post CLICK HERE.

Helena Cades impression cast

HELENA

Intaglio

 (c. 246/248 AD – c. 330 AD)

A Christian saint and the mother of Constantine the Great.

While surfing for info on Tommaso Cades, I came across an article entitled “Helena’s Hidden Gems” on a website called “WRITING HELENA”.

In the article the author, Julia Hillner, describes her beginner’s introduction to engraved gems, which sounded very familiar. She is writing a book about Helena, a Christian saint and the mother of Constantine the Great, which is scheduled to be published later this year.

Julia (the web immediately puts everyone on a first name basis) was searching for images of Helena in Delbrück’s Spätantike Kaiserporträts. She came upon photographs of two intaglio plaster casts purported to be Helena (Middle row in the image at left). They were labeled ns. 4 & 5.

As usual, I immediately went down the rabbit hole.

As part of  her introduction to the glyptic arts, Julia located a plaster cast copy (on the left 2nd row, 2nd from left) of the first image, by Tommaso Cades, (photo n. 4) in the Akademische Kunstmuseum in Bonn. The museum’s ancient gem expert agreed with other authorities that it did not represent Helena. New mystery — who is this woman?

She found a plaster cast copy of the second image, again by Tommaso Cades, (photo n.5) in the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) in Rome.  The find is documented in her tweet, “Cades Dactyliotheca at the DAI in Rome…” In the photo at the right, top row third from left is a cast of a gem showing Helena, bottom row third from left is Fausta (Helena’s daughter-in-law, the second wife of Constantine the Great).

In a comment below the article Julia wrote: “…although further research and conversations with gem specialists have revealed that it (cast of photo n.5) probably isn’t Helena at all.  Having said this, I would be very interested if you find other copies of this portrait and the Fausta one on the row below….”

What a challenge — I set to work.

Continue reading HELENA →

Another Auction – Missed!

Intaglio

I have to start doing a better job of surveying upcoming auctions for interesting Intaglios – just missed another.

On October 14, 2021 there were seven lots of various types of intaglios up for bid at Dominic Winter Auctioneers. (Scroll down a little to see and expand each lot). They included some rather unique collections of red sulfur and Original and paste intaglios. They seemed to go at attractive prices; ones which I would have been very interested in. What do you think?

Two Pounds of Tassies’ for Shelley

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Portrait of Shelley by alfred Clint

Awhile back this blog had a post entitled, “Tassie, Seals, and Keats” setting forth the fondness of the poet Keats for Tassie seals.  Recently, I came across a reference to the poet Shelley’s (1792-1822) similar sentiment for the small paste pieces. 

In a letter written in Pisa to Thomas Love Peacock dated 21 Mar 1821 Shelley had the following request,  “I want you to do something for me: that is, to get me two pounds’ worth of Tassie’s gems, in Leicester Square, the prettiest, according to your taste; among them the head of Alexander; and to get me two seals engraved and set, one smaller, and the other handsomer; the device a dove with outspread wings, and this motto around it: 

Motto for Shelley seal

[ MyI: If anyone, who may be conversant in Greek, has the translation of the motto, please leave it in the comment area below.  My optimism is unabated!]

From: SELECT LETTERS OF PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY, Edited with an Introduction by Richard Garnett, D. Appleton and Company, 1896, p157;  online at  https://www.google.com/books/edition/Selected_Letters_of_Percy_Bysshe_Shelley/1cvTAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=shelley+tassie+gem+motto&pg=PA157&printsec=frontcover 

These references to Tassie are no doubt to William Tassie, James Tassie’s nephew who, himself an engraver of note, took over the Tassie business after the death of James in 1799.  This interest by Shelley, who was in Italy at the time, further attests to the popularity of these seals in the first part of the 19th century.  Now all we need to discover is that Lord Byron also was a Tassie aficionado — the story would be complete.

Gilt-edged paper wrap – A lost craft.

Intaglio

Did you ever notice the gilded frame that surrounds so many of the antique plaster or sulfur impressions of intaglios and other engraved gems?  It is the gilt-edged paper that usually wraps them.  If you collect or deal in the impressions from the Grand Tour era, it’s almost commonplace; it’s always there.  So, who made the strips?  How were they made?  I’d sure like to find out.

Left: Partial image of drawer of James Tassie sulfur casts at the V&A

While numerous books and papers have been written about the engraved gems and their impressions, virtually nothing is available about these “frames” which, like the frame on a magnificent painting, provide a means for mounting, and, compliment the beauty of the impression. 

Right: Impression in MyI collection with detail showing bottom of paper wrap. Click on image to enlarge.

CONTINUE READING —

James Tassie “Lecture”

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I’ve just discovered this video produced in July 2020 about (primarily) the portrait work of James Tassie. It’s a nicely done piece by Liz Louis, the curator of portraiture for the National Galleries of Scotland. It is included on their Facebook page.

If you’re interested in James Tassie, it’s worth a look.

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Tassie, Seals, and Keats

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The term “Tassie” usually refers to one of the engraved gems or an impression of one produced by James Tassie (1732-1799) or, William Tassie (1777-1860), his nephew. (Incidentally, to some tassie can also be a cup or goblet (Scottish) or a Southern Christmas cookie or dessert.)

In the present instance I am using it as a reference to a group of paste impressions of engraved gems produced by William Tassie in the first part of the nineteenth century in London. 

They were “in fashion” to seal messages or letters before the use of glue on envelopes became common in the late 1830’s.

The widespread use and popularity of seals, especially Tassie seals, is attested to in a letter from John Keats to Fanny, his younger sister, dated 13 March 1819:

“…On looking at your seal I cannot tell whether it is done or not with a Tassi – it seems to me to be paste—As I went through Leicester Square lately I was going to call and buy you some, but not knowing but you might have some I would not run the chance of buying duplicates—Tell me if you have any or if you would like any—and whether you would rather have motto ones like that with which I seal this letter;  or heads of great Men such as Shakespeare, Milton &c—or fancy pieces of Art; such as Fame, Adonis &c—those gentry you read of at the end of the English Dictionary.”

This above excerpt was taken from “THE LETTERS OF JOHN KEATS 1814-1821” Volume Two, 1958, edited by Hyder Edward Rollins

An article entitled “Christmas Day 1818” by Aileen Ward describes in substantial detail Keats’ use of and (yes) emotional attachment to Tassie seals. Much of the story revolves around a Tassie seal of a lyre with broken strings which John Keats may have received from his love, Fanny Brawne, on that Christmas Day (if you go there, the good part about seals starts on page 22). The article was included in the Keats-Shelley Journal Vol. 10 (Winter, 1961), pp. 15-27 published by: Keats-Shelley Association of America, Inc.

Details of a few seals are shown below.  Most are described in Tassie’s “Catalogue of Devices and Seals” of 1830, which included almost 1600 items.  They were usually small paste rectangular or oval cubes about ¼” to ½” thick and about ½” across.  They were made in this shape, thicker than the usual engraved gem, so they could be used easily as a seal without the need for an attached handle. 

The first eight seals were part of a group I recently acquired from Lauren Markland of Clayton Antiques located in Williamsburg, VA.  They had been in a collection of her father and (I think) she was glad to see them find a good home.

1-Proverbs-Ch-25-V-25
2-Hope-Consoles-Me
3-A-WORD-OF-RESPONSE-WILL-GIVE-ME-PLEASURE
4-KINGS-AND-BEARS-WORRY-THEIR-KEEPERS
5-USE-ME-WELL-I-LL-NEVER-CUT-YOU
6-ABOVE-THE-EARTH
7-Isabella
8-My-INV

[Show slideshow]

Bummer! An auction missed.

Intaglio

I just came across the results of a November auction at Stair Galleries in Hudson, New York. The sale included a number of Wedgwood lots, one of which I would surly have bid on. The lot consisted of fourteen black basalt seals plus several other items —

The webpage of the lot with a number of good pictures can be found at https://auctions.stairgalleries.com/lot/fourteen-wedgwood-black-basalt-seals-3900026

Sure wish I had seen this one.