Thomson, Charles | “A New Order of the Ages”

Thomson, Charles 

Autograph manuscript notebook, 1776-1783, including description of the Great Seal of the United States and the text of the preliminary Peace of Paris, "Preliminary Articles of Peace between His Britannic Majesty & his Most Christian Majesty 20 Jany. 1783."

4to (200 x 165 mm). 104 pages, the first four being a physical description in heraldic terms of the Great Seal of the United States and its armorial reverse along with William Barton's explanation of the symbolism therein. Contemporary marbled boards; sympathetically rebacked. Burgundy cloth chemise and slipcase, burgundy morocco spine lettered gilt. Together with: Mrs. Charles Thomson's three calling cards.

“A New Order of the Ages.” On 4 July 1776 Congress appointed Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams—now relieved from their service on the committee charged with drafting the Declaration of Independence—to devise an iconic emblem that would assert the governance and authority of the newborn nation "among the powers of the earth" (quoted in Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions, p. 32). All the elements of their design, overwrought with biblical and mythological imagery, were rejected by Congress except the motto "E pluribus unum" ("out of many, one").

The project remained dormant until 1780, when James Lovell of Massachusetts and John Morin Scott and William Churchill Houston of Virginia developed a second design, which was also rejected by Congress. Some elements, however, such as the olive branch, the thirteen stars, and the shield with red and white stripes on a blue field, were used in the final design.

In May 1782, William Barton, who had a reputation for his knowledge of heraldry, was consulted by the Third Great Seal Committee to contribute to the design of a national coat-of-arms for the United States. He drafted what he called Device for an Armorial Achievement for the United States of North America, blazoned agreeably to the Laws of Heraldry. He introduced an eagle with wings "displayed," an element that Secretary of the Continental Congress Charles Thomson would greatly emphasize in the final proposal. Promptly on receiving Barton’s paper of 19 June, Thomson amended and expanded the report, and submitted it to Congress the following day.

A unique symbol of our country and national identity.  Thomson combined elements from Barton's report with the best design aspects culled from the previous proposals. The final distillation reads: "The Devise for an Armorial Achievement and reverse of a great Seal for the United States, in Congress assembled is as follows. Arms. Paleways of thirteen pieces Argent and Gules, a Chief Azure. The Escutcheon on the breast of the American blad [struck through] bald Eagle displayed, proper, holding in his dexter talon an olive branch & in his sinister a bundle of thirteen arrows, all proper, and in his beak a scroll inscribed with this motto 'E pluribus unum.' For the Crest. Over the head of the Eagle, which appears above the Escutcheon, a Glory, Or, breaking through a cloud, proper, and surrounding thirteen Stars forming a Constellation, Argent, on an Azure field."

Barton provided Thomson with a concise explanation of the symbolic meaning of each attribute in the Seal: "The Escutcheon is composed of the chief & pale, the two most honorable Ordinaries. The 13 pieces paly represent the several states in the Union adjoined in one solid compact entire, supporting a chief which unites the whole and represents Congress. The motto alludes to this Union. The pales are kept united by the Chief … The colours of the Pales are those used in the flag of the United States of America. White signifies purity and innocence; Red, hardiness and valour; and Blue, the colour of the Chief, signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."

"The olive branch & arrows denote the power of peace and war exclusively vested in Congress." The eagle, itself a symbol of strength and power—it should be noted— has its head turned toward the olive branch, thus favoring peace over belligerence and outright war. Thomson concludes: "The constellation denotes a new state taking it's [sic] place and rank among other sovereign powers. The Escutcheon is borne on the breast of an American Eagle without any other supporters to denote that the United States of America ought to rely on God and their own virtue and not on foreign support."

The beginning of the New American Era. For the reverse of the Seal, a pyramid "of thirteen Strata" (or steps) was originally suggested by Barton, who was undoubtedly influenced by the pyramid on the $50 Continental Currency note designed in 1778 by Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence for New Jersey. Regarding the eye that surmounts the pyramid, Thomson placed it in a triangle (most likely representing the Holy Trinity) as suggested by the first committee. Thomson wrote: "A Pyramid unfinished. In the zenith with an Eye in a triangle surrounded with a Glory, proper, over the Eye these words 'Annuit Coeptis' ['He has blessed our undertakings']. On the base of the pyramid the numerical letters MDCCLXXVI and underneath the following motto: 'Novus Ordo Seclorum.' " The explanation reads: "The pyramid on the Reverse signifies strength and duration. The Eye over it and the motto allude to the many signal interpositions of providence in favour of the American cause. The date underneath is that of the declaration of Independence and the words under it signify the beginning of the New American Era which commences from that date." By resolution on 20 June 1782, Congress adopted Thomson’s report.

Today the Secretary of State is the steward of the Great Seal of the United States. It is impressed upon documents such as treaties and commissions, and is also found on documents such as U.S. passports and the back of the $1 bill along with the motif of the unfinished pyramid and eye. 

REFERENCE

Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions 4; Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, vol. xxii, pp. 338–340

PROVENANCE

Sotheby Parke Bernet, 3 October 1978, lot 80