Collecting Concepts

As school winds down across Ohio, during this time of year we are often reminded of our agrarian roots that were the basis of summer “vacation.”  Certainly, in the 19th Century, students were not afforded much of a vacation over summer, but their teachers were prone to provide a small token of reward to send the students off with a feeling of accomplishment that would (hopefully) attract them back to the classroom in the fall.

Jeff and I began collecting “Rewards of Merit” about a decade ago.  These small pen and ink (and sometimes watercolor) drawings were gifts from teachers, who often “moonlighted” as artists, to their students.  The drawings were usually simple and small (about 4” x 6”), but the pride they gave the students was huge.  Shown here are three rewards of merit, all by the same Ohio maker and bearing the name of the student for whom it was made and year in which it was given.  Two will sell in Garth’s May Ohio Valley Auction, celebrating the arts and history of this region; one is from our personal collection.  It is a thrill to bear witness to the simple but significant pleasures enjoyed by those Ohioans who came before us.  

A vibrant and crisp watercolor of a perched bird on a branch was made for  “Benjamin Florey, 1837.” Selling on May 17 & 18, 2013 in Garth’s 8th Annual Ohio Valley Auction.

This reward of merit uses a line and color palette that references European thought, but employs a simplicity that is distinctly American in design, reflecting the youthfulness of our country at the time it was made.  The reverse retains the handwritten script “Mary Mary 1834”, most likely the student for whom it was made. Selling on May 17 & 18, 2013 in Garth’s 8th Annual Ohio Valley Auction.

Thought to be the earlier work of the same teacher as the two examples shown above, what a difference a decade can make. The reverse retains the same handwriting, for a student named “Polly Polly 1825”. Private collection, estimate $800-1,200.00.