(Washington, George) — Society of the Cincinnati | William Floyd's membership certificate and badge

(Washington, George) — Society of the Cincinnati

William Floyd's membership certificate and badge, comprising:

a) Eagle badge, Designed by Pierre Charles L’Enfant (1754–1825), attributed to Duval and Francastel and associated firms, Paris, circa 1784.

Gold and enameled eagle with spread wings and legs on green enameled olive branches, head and tail feathers with white and black enamel, red enamel eyes, distinct eyebrows and black beak, head left within green and red enameled laurel wreath of figure-eight design through which a double suspension ring is attached. Oval medallion inset into the eagle’s breast, the motto reads (from 7:00), OMNIA·RELINQT·SERVART·REMPB ⁘, in the center, two Roman senators present a sword to Cincinnatus against blue enamel sky and green enamel grass, rev., the eagle as above, but head right, the motto reads (from 11:00), ·VIRT·PRAEM·SOCI·CIN·RUM ⁘, INST·AD·1783, within medallion, Cincinnatus stands facing next to his plow, with sun and palisade behind, enameled blue sky and green ground, (40 x 25 mm); obverse chipping to tailfeathers, some minor losses to red and green enamels of the wreath and branch, the ribbon replaced.

The present eagle, of the larger type, corresponds closely in size, chasing, and enameling to the Tench Tilghman example (now in the Society of the Cincinnati Museum at Anderson House, Washington, D.C.). That specimen was one of the eagles ordered by Washington to present to his aides. According to Myers, there were “two distinct sorts of eagles.” The first group of 40 “were somewhat larger than the other group of 140. The first were for those who had given him advance orders, and the best documented example of this variety is the Tench Tilghman eagle.” See, Myer Myers, Jr., The Insignia of the Order of the Cincinnati, Washington, D.C., 1998, type 7, p. 20; pp. 46-47; see also General Nathaniel Greene’s eagle, sold in these rooms, 20 January 2011, lot 177.  

b) Engraved broadside document signed by George Washington ("Go: Washington") as President of the Society of Cincinnati, being the membership certificate for William Floyd, on vellum (478 x 355 mm), accomplished in a neat clerical hand, Mount Vernon, Virginia, 10 December 1785, countersigned by the Secretary of the Society ("HKnox"), engraved vignettes by Auguste L. Belle after Jean-Jacques Andre LeVeau depicting America in knight's armor trampling upon the British standard and the American eagle casting the British lion and Britannia out to sea with thunderbolts, roundel vignettes incorporating depictions of both sides of the eagle badge of the Order of the Cincinnati; some fading to accomplishment, particularly to Washington's signature, trimmed very close, shaving the engraving at sides and top, tack-holes in margins from former framing, some usual, natural wrinkling.

A highly distinguished Society of the Cincinnati membership certificate and eagle badge: "Be it known that The Honorable William Floyd is a Member of the Society of the Cincinnati; instituted by the Officers of the American Army at the Period of its Dissolution, as well to commemorate the great Event which gave Independence to North America, as for the laudable Purpose of inculcating the Duty of laying down in Peace Arms assumed for public Defense, and of uniting in Acts of brotherly Affection and bonds of perpetual Friendship the Members constituting the same."

William Floyd (1734–1821) served the patriot cause both in the militia and in the Continental Congress. In 1775, Suffolk County on Long Island sent him to the first Congress and the same year he was made a colonel in the county militia's Western Regiment; he remained in the militia until 1795, achieving the rank of major general. In the Congress, where he served, with one year's absence, until 1783, Floyd sat on the clothing committee and the naval and treasury boards. Most significantly, he signed the Declaration of Independence once New York State permitted her delegates to vote for independence. After the war, Floyd supported ratification of the Constitution and was elected to the first House of Representatives. On the Fourth of July, 1787, Floyd was elected an honorary member of the New York Society of the Cincinnati. 

The Order of the Cincinnati was conceived of by Henry Knox, who wished to establish a fraternal organization for all officers who had served in the War for Independence and "any of their eldest male posterity." The Order was founded in early May 1783 at the headquarters of General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben at Verplanck House in Fishkill, New York. The three guiding principles of the organization were: First, "An incessant attention to preserve inviolate those exalted rights and liberties of human nature, for which they have fought and bled. …" Second, "An unalterable determination to promote and cherish between the respective States, that union and national honor so essentially necessary to their happiness, and the future dignity of the American empire." Third, "To render permanent the cordial affection subsisting among the officers. This spirit will dictate brotherly kindness in all things, and particularly, extend to the most substantial acts of beneficence, according to the ability of the Society, towards those officers and their families, who unfortunately may be under the necessity of receiving it."

The concept of using Cincinnatus as an emblem of the Order was particularly resonant with Americans since the life of this mid-fifth century Roman nobleman and farmer closely paralleled that of many who had served, with George Washington in the vanguard. Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus was called upon to repel two hostile tribes that threatened Rome. He issued his orders, which were efficiently carried out, and vanquished the enemy. Although elected a dictator for six months and voted a triumph by the Senate, Cincinnatus stepped down just after fifteen days and returned to private life on his farm. Similarly, at the conclusion of Treaty of Paris, Washington returned to his Mount Vernon home.