Author Archive

Aug

#3 Jay CLINE ~ A kind Collector with a Big Heart!

Posted by: Dan Leininger, Webmaster | Comments (0)

2023 In the previous post, about Jay Cline,

his kindness & graciousness

are quite evident.

Don Becker commented years after their meeting:

“We had a fun dinner visiting,

maybe three hours.

We were worn out.

~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~.

On July 22, 2010: After He and Don Becker made plans to meet at the Boston American Numismatic Association meeting.

Jay also reached out to me by email.

Emails with Jay Cline …

“My name is J. H. Cline, and Don Becker contacted you about me. I am the man who wrote a book about the quarters Hermon MacNeil designed for the U.S. government. I have specialized in 1916-1930 quarters since 1976, and have a collection of memorabilia related to Mr. MacNeil. I am a full-time coin dealer in Florida at this time, although I did business in Ohio for many years prior to my move down here.”

“Don and I are tentatively scheduled to meet for the first time, in Boston, on August 13th. I look forward to spending some time with him. I think he told me you are his first cousin?”

“Don tells me you are constructing a website. I would like to see some of your work and would appreciate the web address when it is complete. Where did you study? What are your favored subjects?”

“Please reply when you have the opportunity to do so.”

J. H. Cline

On Jul 22, 2010: I wrote back to Jay Cline mentioning:

That Don and I made a 40 minute presentation to about 50 family members about his collecting of SLQs since his teen years and I introduced the website giving Jay a link to it?: https://hermonatkinsmacneil.com/

That the website was just 3 months old. I posted about Jay’s book, reviews, order details and SLQ images. LINK

That I Learned about “Uncle Hermon” from my mother. Her comments about my resemblance to her father (Hermon’s cousin), Tom Henry McNeil. I shared how my McNeil \MacNeil heritage had became the impetus for this website ~ a virtual MacNeil Gallery ~ his works across USA.

That the Fourth Edition of The Standing Liberty Quarter excelled. “Your work is the best source I have found so far on the life of Hermon Atkins MacNeil.”

That my own life work and family history, included engineering, ministry, teaching and chaplaincy.

That all these seeds have grown as I approach retirement. I planned to travel and photograph all the MacNeil sculptures and art that I can find. [ The website has been a documentary of that since 2010. ]

Lastly, “Here’s my Wild Hair idea! ~ 2016 is the 100th anniversary of the first SLQ, as well as, the 150 anniversary of the birth of Hermon Atkins MacNeil. “Does someone like yourself have ideas on how to mark and celebrate that year?” Dan Leininger

Later, Jay Cline wrote back:

Hello Dan,

It was so nice to hear back from you so quickly. I am headed out to St. Louis for a convention, but when I return, I will take the time to carefully look over the website. I look forward to doing that on Monday/Tuesday?

[ He gave me permission to use images from his website ]

Re: “Wild Hair”. I’ll have to think about that. Yes, I am life member #547 with the ANA, so I do have an opportunity to bend a few ears that could result in an anniversary project. I’ll ask around and share the feedback with you. We DO have time – although 2016 will be here before you blink! I choose to work full-time through my retirement, and the days fly by.

I’ll be in touch next week.

Jay

My Emails with Jay Cline ended there!

Jay Cline (from http://www.slqs.com/ )

Jay was right…

“the days did fly by”

until 2015 when I saw

this obituary …

J.H. Cline, of Palm Harbor, Fla., died Jan. 8, 2015, from injuries suffered in an accident.

He was owner of J.H. Cline Rare Coins. Mr. Cline specialized in Standing Liberty quarter dollars for more than 40 years.

In 1975 he published Standing Liberty Quarters. The fourth edition of the book was published in 2007.

Mr. Cline “began collecting coins in high school with a few Indian Head cents. His first Standing Liberty Quarter was a severely cleaned 1918-S from a friend who asked the great sum of 35¢ for the coin. He bought that piece in the early 1950’s,” his website states.

Mr. Cline is survived by his wife, Vicki, two daughters, and three sons.

Mrs. Cline told Coin World that per her husband’s instructions, “a private memorial service may be held at a later date.”

Mr. Cline began his full-time career in numismatics in 1964. He spent 31 years operating his own coin shop, Cline’s Rare Coins on Salem Avenue in Dayton, Ohio, before moving to Palm Harbor.

Mr. Cline was a life member of the American Numismatic Association. He was also a member of the Indiana State Numismatic Association, National Silver Dollar Roundtable, Florida United Numismatists, Central States Numismatic Society, and other coin clubs.

Source: Retrieved from World Coin News https://www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/longtime-coin-dealer-j-h-cline-dies.html

Saddened by that news, I went ahead

with plans for my Wild Hair idea! … the

Hermon Atkins MacNeil Medallion

celebrating 2016

as both a Centennial

the first minting of

of the Liberty Standing Quarter

and a Sesquicentennial

the birth of “Uncle”

Hermon Atkins MacNeil

Standing Liberty Quarter ~ 1916-2016 100th Anniversary of First Minting Year

Hermon A. MacNeil Medallion 150th Birth Anniversary ~ 1866-1947 ~

CLICK HERE to purchase a

MacNeil Medallion of the

Standing Liberty Quarter

on eBay photos above

SOURCES:

Coinworld.com/news from https://www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/longtime-coin-dealer-j-h-cline-dies.html
Jay Cline from http://www.slqs.com

CLINE #2: An Evening with Jay H. Cline ~ 2010 ~ Expert on MacNeil’s S.L.Q. ~ Signed His 4th Edition! (7.6) The American Numismatic Association met in Boston in 2010. A…
Jay H. Cline ~ Loved the Standing Liberty Quarter~ #1 of 4 Stories. (6.2) AUGUST 2023 Jay H. Cline devoted his entire life and…
Standing Liberty Quarter – Jay H. Cline’s Life-long Love (6.1) J. H. Cline’s 45 year admiration of Hermon A. MacNeil’s…

Related Images:

Categories : Location

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Aug

CLINE #2: An Evening with Jay H. Cline ~ 2010 ~ Expert on MacNeil’s S.L.Q. ~ Signed His 4th Edition!

Posted by: Dan Leininger, Webmaster | Comments (0)

MacNeil’s Standing Liberty

J. H. Cline (19, Author/Expert ~ Standing Liberty Quarter

The American Numismatic Association met in Boston in 2010.

A private Dinner with

Jay H. Cline

would be the best dream for any SLQ collector.

Well, that dream became a real blessing for my nephew, Donald S. Becker of Bangor, Maine, a Project Engineer there with Haley Ward, Inc. Don remembers that event this way:

Don Becker, PE, Project Engineer with Haley Ward in Bangor, ME

“It was the American Numismatic Association meeting in Boston for the first time since 1982. Jay told me I should come as it was the best coin show event there is. He was always willing to visit by email and talk about coins and Hermon MacNeil. … “

“I had already contacted him to let him know how much I enjoyed the chapter [on Hermon] in the book and he wanted to discuss anything I knew about Hermon and anything about artistic talent in the Leininger, McNeil family.”

By email Don had found out that Jay Cline would be there. So, Don offered to buy Jay dinner if “he meet me to sign my book.” Don remembered that evening:

“We had dinner at Abe & Louie’s on 793 Boylston Street…. The restaurant is still there … and is a very nice venue.”

Front Door of Abe & Louie’s where Jay Cline and Don met.

Dining Room at Abe & Louie’s Restaurant, Boston, Mass.

I used to receive Cline’s price list on SLQ quarters which was his specialty.

It was a enjoyable dinner and…

he signed my copy of his book.

Jay Cline signed: “To Donald. Best Wishes. J. H. Cline. A.N.A. Boston. 8/13/10 ~~ THANKS FOR DINNER IT WAS GREAT !”

It was something I thought would be neat to do.

The national coin show was very large and dramatic.

Don continued his comments:

Don Becker Collected his first Standing Liberty Quarter in his teens, like Jay Cline did.

“Abe & Louie’s is located near the Hynes Convention Center, on Boylston Street, in Boston.The original founders retired when it was still part of the Backbay Restaurant Group.Yet the restaurant is still there. … It is a very nice restaurant.

[Owned now by Tavistock Restaurant Collection]

On April 15, 2013 the second blast site of the Boston Marathon Bombing was just a few buildings away.”

Boston’s Commonwealth Street ~ Yellow Circle marks Abe & Louie’s ~ Finish line of Marathon. Retrieved from https://abeandlouies.com/ on 6-9-2023 “I went as it was a national coin exhibition annual event somewhere close I could attend and included large US gold coin exhibition I wanted to see.”

~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~.

Bonus Images from Don:

Projects for Haley Ward in the Maine woods:

Don added two photos from his recent projects at Katahdin Woods and Water National Monument Visitors Contact Station projects.

Click link for MORE ~ Katahdin Woods and Waters Scenic Byway, National Park Service

A Trail created through Katahdin Woods

Water National Monument Visitors Contact Station project in T3 R7 WELS

Standing Liberty Quarter – Jay H. Cline’s Life-long Love (11.2) J. H. Cline’s 45 year admiration of Hermon A. MacNeil’s…
Jay H. Cline ~ Loved the Standing Liberty Quarter~ #1 of 4 Stories. (8.3) AUGUST 2023 Jay H. Cline devoted his entire life and…

Sources:

https://abeandlouies.com/history/.
Don Becker, PE, Project Engineer with Haley Ward in Bangor, ME

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Aug

#1 ~ Jay H. Cline ~ Loved the Standing Liberty Quarter ~

Posted by: Dan Leininger, Webmaster | Comments (0)

AUGUST 2023

screenshot of ANA Museum, Robert B. Kelley.

ANA Museum Photo / Robert B. Kelley

Jay H. Cline devoted his entire life and career to the Standing Liberty Quarter designed by Hermon MacNeil.

We will devote four postings in August 2023 to this dedicated numismatist.

Serious collectors and MacNeil enthusiasts will also enjoy Cline’s book.

Cline wrote the first definitive volume on MacNeil’s Standing Liberty Quarter. He told his own story as a young boy collecting his first of MacNeil’s quarter design.

He became a coin dealer. MacNeil’s work became his specialty and love. He researched, wrote, revised his book through Four Editions.

Stay TUNED Here at HAM for MORE

https://hermonatkinsmacneil.com/

~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~. ~

Standing Liberty Quarter – Jay H. Cline’s Life-long Love (26.7) J. H. Cline’s 45 year admiration of Hermon A. MacNeil’s…
Hermon MacNeil’s “Standing Liberty Quarter” Praised As Favorite (16.8) Ninety-four years after its first minting, the MacNeil “Standing Liberty…
Standing Liberty Quarter ~ MacNeil’s First Design (16.1) Hermon MacNeil’s first concept for the new Liberty Standing Quarter…
MacNeil’s “Standing Liberty Quarter” and “I’ve Got a Secret” April 4, 1966 (15.8) 100 years after the birth of Hermon MacNeil and fifty…
Edward A. Van Orden, “Collecting a Masterpiece; an Introduction to the Standing Liberty quarter” (15.5) ~~ SLQ ~~ Part One ~~ In September 2019 the…
RE-APPEARANCE of Hermon MacNeil’s 0wn “Personal 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter” ~ Part 2 (14.3) The first Standing Liberty Quarter struck in 1916 was given…

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Jul

INDEPENDENCE DAY ~~ 247 Years !!!

Posted by: Dan Leininger, Webmaster | Comments (0)

Hermon MacNeil’s Commander-in-Chief

George Washington on Arch in NYC

General George Washington with Flags (U.S. and POW/MIA) ~ Washington Arch Greenwich, NYC (Photo courtesy of: Gibson Shell – 2011)

Hermon MacNeil was a Red-White-and-Blue Sculptor of American History.

click BELOW for MORE.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~

Images of

Independence

from the sculptures of

Hermon Atkins MacNeil …

Happy 4th of July

from Dan Leininger, Webmaster

The Stars and Stripes fly day and night at the home of Webmaster Dan Leininger in South Dakota. They are illuminated dusk to dawn by automatic lighting. (The tie, however, only waves on special occasions like July 4th.)

INDEPENDENCE DAY Images ~ from Hermon A. MacNeil (7.4) Here are a few images of Independence from Hermon Atkins…
MacNeil Month ~~ February 2016 ~~ 150 Years (6) The year 2016 marks the sesquicentennial of the birth of…
Hermon MacNeil at the 1893 Columbian Exposition ~ ~ ~ THE CHICAGO YEARS ~ ~ (6) CHICAGO YEARS: Partners and Colleagues When Hermon MacNeil came home to the…
More “Confederate Defenders” Protests; AND Ten Years Ago on this Website. (6) Sunday (July 12, 2020) saw continued protest at the Confederate…
Hermon MacNeil and Hamlin Garland ~ ~ Connections Through the Years – Part 3 (6) Hermon MacNeil met Hamlin Garland in Chicago. Hermon MacNeil Hermon…
MacNeil’s Bust of John Stewart Kennedy ~ 100 Years Ago ~ THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY (5.8) A BRIEF NOTE from the Webmaster: “We did not discover…

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Jul

Fasces Symbols of “LIBERTY” Abound in District of Columbia Sculpture, Architecture and Coinage

Posted by: Dan Leininger, Webmaster | Comments (0)

Hermon MacNeil included 2 Fasces

in his design for the

East Pediment

MacNeil – Supreme Court

The 2 Fasces of the East Pediment. On Left in yellow circle: Man with traditional fascis. On Right in green circle: Woman with a grain sheath Fascis.

Additional Examples of

FASCES in Washington, D.C. Capitol Area:

Two fasces appear on either side of the flag of the United States behind the podium in the United States House of Representatives, with bronze examples replacing the previous gilded iron installments during the remodeling project of 1950.^[9]

Podium of the

U. S. House of Representatives:

Podium of the U. S. House of Representatives

These 2 large Bronze fasces frame both sides of the Flag of the United States behind the podium in the United States House of Representatives. These larger-than-life bronze examples replaced the previous gilded iron installments during the remodeling project of 1950.^[9]

Lincoln Memorial:

Daniel Chester Frenches tribute to

Lincoln’s Preservation of the Union

Seated In the marble throne supported by two Roman fasces symbols, Daniel Chester French’s “Lincoln” gazes contemplatively over the “preserved Union.”

At the Lincoln Memorial, Lincoln’s seat of state bears the fasces—without axes—on the fronts of its arms; fasces also appear on the pylons flanking the main staircase leading into the memorial.

Mercury Dime — Winged Liberty (reverse)

Fasces from the reverse of the Liberty (Winged Mercury) Dime minted from 1916 to 1945.

Another sculptor and colleague of Hermon MacNeil, Adolph Weinman, used a fasces motif in his coin design. The reverse of the Mercury Dime, the design [used until the adoption of the current FDR dime in 1945], features a fasces on the reverse side (tails).

“The Mercury dime is a ten-cent coin struck by the United States Mint from late 1916 to 1945. Designed by Adolph Weinman and also referred to as the Winged Liberty Head dime, it gained its common name because the obverse depiction of a young Liberty, identifiable by her winged Phrygian cap, was confused with the Roman god Mercury..

Other Uses of the “Fasces” in Art and Insignia.

Statue of Freedom Fasces ring the base of the Statue of Freedom atop the United States Capitol building
A frieze on the facade of the United States Supreme Court building depicts the figure of a Roman centurion holding a fasces, to represent “order”^[10]
The National Guard uses the fasces on the seal of the National Guard Bureau, and it appears in the insignia of Regular Army officers assigned to National Guard liaison and in the insignia and unit symbols of National Guard units themselves; for instance, the regimental crest of the 71st Infantry Regiment (New York) of the New York National Guard consisted of a gold fasces set on a blue background
The official seal of the United States Tax Court bears the fasces at its center
Four fasces flank the two bronze plaques on either side of the bust of Lincoln memorializing his Gettysburg Address at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
The seal of the United States Courts Administrative Office includes a fasces behind crossed quill and scroll
In the Washington Monument, there is a statue of George Washington leaning on a fasces
A fasces is a common element in US Army Military Police heraldry, most visibly on the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 18th Military Police Brigade and the 42nd Military Police Brigade
A fasces also appears shoulder sleeve insignia of the US Army Reserve Legal Command
Seated beside George Washington, a figure holds a fasces as part of The Apotheosis of Washington, a fresco mural suspended above the rotunda of the United States Capitol Building.
On the podium of the Emancipation Memorial in Washington D.C., beneath Abraham Lincoln‘s right hand. See Also: Capitol Hill Parks , National Capital Parks-East
On the obverse of the 1896 $1 Educational Series note there is a fasces leaning against the wall behind the youth.
In the Oval Office, above the door leading to the exterior walkway, and above the corresponding door on the opposite wall, which leads to the president’s private office; note: the fasces depicted have no axes, possibly because in the Roman Republic, the blade was always removed from the bundle whenever the fasces were carried inside the city, in order to symbolize the rights of citizens against arbitrary state power (see above).

Seated In the marble throne supported by two Roman fasces symbols, Lincoln gazes contemplatively over the “preserved Union.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasces Fasces article at Wikipedia

Federal fasces iconography

Emancipation Memorial

Related Images:

Categories : Location, Monuments, Statue, Washington D.C.

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Jun

2023 – MacNeil & Fasces at the Supreme Court

Posted by: Dan Leininger, Webmaster | Comments (0)

The Hermon MacNeil’s sculpture of the

East Pediment contains a hidden fasces.

~ The Fasces (located to the left of Confucius) rests on the shoulder of the man holding the boy. They represent the enforcement of the law and its passing on to coming generations.

A Fasces is a bound bundle of wooden rods, sometimes including an axe with its blade emerging. The fasces is an Italian symbol that had its origin in the Etruscan civilization and was passed on to ancient Rome, where it symbolized a magistrate’s power and jurisdiction. Wikipedia

~ Is There a

2nd Fasces?

~ The Female figure to the right is resting another bound form on her shoulder.

I had imagined it was a Sheaf of grain with leaves extended to the right. There is also a young girl (half visible to her right). Again the presence of the YOUTH suggests ‘the “Carrying on” of civilization through a internal knowledge of right and wrong’.

But being bound as a fasces,

it shares that same symbolism of

power and jurisdiction”

MacNeil described the right side or the Pediment as

tempering justice with mercy, allegorically treated”.

Visitors often miss the East Pediment of the Supreme Court Building because it is located at the rear of the building. This sculptural group was designed by Hermon A. MacNeil (1866–1947), an artist who studied under the masters of classical architecture and design. Cass Gilbert (1859–1934), the architect of the building, worked closely with MacNeil from 1932 to 1934 to create the thirteen symmetrically balanced allegorical figures. MacNeil submitted the following description of his work to the Supreme Court Building Commission:

“Law as an element of civilization was normally and naturally derived or inherited in this country from former civilizations. The ‘Eastern Pediment’ of the Supreme Court Building suggests therefore the treatment of such fundamental laws and precepts as are derived from the East. Moses, Confucius and Solon are chosen as representing three great civilizations
and form the central group of this Pediment.

Flanking this central group—left—is the symbolical figure bearing the means of enforcing the law. On the right a group tempering justice with mercy, allegorically treated. The ‘Youth’ is brought into both these groups to suggest the “Carrying on” of civilization through the knowledge imbibed of right and wrong. The next two figures with shields; Left – The settlement of disputes between states through enlightened judgment. Right—Maritime and other large functions of the Supreme
Court in protection of the United States. The last figures: Left—Study and pondering of judgments. Right – A tribute to the fundamental and supreme character of this Court.

Finale—The fable of the Tortoise and the Hare.”~

Fasces

Fasces is a bound bundle of wooden rods, sometimes including an axe with its blade emerging. The fasces is an Italian symbol that had its origin in the Etruscan civilization and was passed on to ancient Rome, where it symbolized a magistrate’s power and jurisdiction. Wikipedia