HUGHES, Robert Ball (1806-1868) British-American
sculptor. Born London, 19 January 1806.
Exhibited art at Royal Academy, London, 1822-1828.
Came to America 1829.
Hughes sole effort as coin designer: told Gobrecht
to add drapery at elbow of his Liberty seated design.
He designed the America-Art Union Medal, modeled
by Salathiel Ellis (q.v.).
Died Dorchester, Massachusetts, 5 March 1868.
C O I N S
1840-73 Half Dime (Gobrecht-Hughes design with added
drapery, engraved by Christian Gobrecht) Breen 3021-3138
1840-91 Dime (same designers, engraver) . . . Breen 3232-3469
R E L I E F S
1840ca Harrison (William Henry) Miniature Wax Relief .
Illustrated: M19 {1963} Chamberlain, obv only, fig . 44
1840 Bethune (Reverand G.W.) Medallion. . . . . . . . . .
1840 Butler (Wife of John) Medallion. . . . . . . . . . .
1840 Ingersoll (Wife of C.) Medallion . . . . . . . . . .
1840 Jackson (I.R.) Medallion . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1840 Van Rensslaer [first name unknown] Medallion . . . .
M E D A L S
1849 American Art-Union John Trumbull Medal (obv designed
by Hughes, portrait by Salathiel Ellis, rev designed
by Peter Paul Duggan; both sides engraved
by Charles Cushing Wright) . . . . . . . . Julian PE-35
Auctions:. . . . . BMP 1:4257; CAL 29:1060; J&J 12:696,
J&J 15:360; PCA 56:1725, PCA 64:1999
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] 0000.999.43332
Collection: Cornell Univ Johnson Art Gallery . . . . 404
Illustrated: M19 {1963} Chamberlain, obv only, fig . 12
B I O G R A P H I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
D8 {1926} Fielding, p 179, 480.
BE {1943} Webster's Biographical Dictionary, p 742.
BDAB{1946} Dictionary of American Biography 5:1 p 356-357, by A.A. [Adeline Adams].
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 333-334.
BH {1963} Who Was Who, p 256.
A12 {1968} Craven, passim, (biblio) 739.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 431.
AE1 {1988} Falk, 1:105.
A32 {1993} Reynolds, p 169.
BANB{1999} American National Biography, p 11:435, by Wayne Craven.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 2:1653.
D3a {2006} Benezit.Dictionary of Artists, p 7:413.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
E3 {1902-30} Forrer 7:467.
E8 {1951} Kenney, p 12.
E8A {1951} Kenney Manuscript File.
M19 {1958} Chamberlain (Georgia Stamm) Robert Ball Hughes, Sculptor, and
the U.S. Silver Coinage of 1840, The Numismatist 71:8 (August 1958) pp 928-
932. In reprint: American Medals and Medalists. Annandale, Virginia: Turnpike
Press. (1963) pp 109-113; figure 12, 44, 45.
A15 {1971} Vermeule, p 46-50.
E17 {1983} Pessolano-Filos, p 56.
O12 {1988} Breen 3021-3138, p 285-298; 3232-3469 309- 322; 334-35, 345-47, 350,
393, 436-37, 441, 493, 529, 678,
sculptor. Born London, 19 January 1806.
Exhibited art at Royal Academy, London, 1822-1828.
Came to America 1829.
Hughes sole effort as coin designer: told Gobrecht
to add drapery at elbow of his Liberty seated design.
He designed the America-Art Union Medal, modeled
by Salathiel Ellis (q.v.).
Died Dorchester, Massachusetts, 5 March 1868.
C O I N S
1840-73 Half Dime (Gobrecht-Hughes design with added
drapery, engraved by Christian Gobrecht) Breen 3021-3138
1840-91 Dime (same designers, engraver) . . . Breen 3232-3469
R E L I E F S
1840ca Harrison (William Henry) Miniature Wax Relief .
Illustrated: M19 {1963} Chamberlain, obv only, fig . 44
1840 Bethune (Reverand G.W.) Medallion. . . . . . . . . .
1840 Butler (Wife of John) Medallion. . . . . . . . . . .
1840 Ingersoll (Wife of C.) Medallion . . . . . . . . . .
1840 Jackson (I.R.) Medallion . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1840 Van Rensslaer [first name unknown] Medallion . . . .
M E D A L S
1849 American Art-Union John Trumbull Medal (obv designed
by Hughes, portrait by Salathiel Ellis, rev designed
by Peter Paul Duggan; both sides engraved
by Charles Cushing Wright) . . . . . . . . Julian PE-35
Auctions:. . . . . BMP 1:4257; CAL 29:1060; J&J 12:696,
J&J 15:360; PCA 56:1725, PCA 64:1999
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] 0000.999.43332
Collection: Cornell Univ Johnson Art Gallery . . . . 404
Illustrated: M19 {1963} Chamberlain, obv only, fig . 12
B I O G R A P H I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
D8 {1926} Fielding, p 179, 480.
BE {1943} Webster's Biographical Dictionary, p 742.
BDAB{1946} Dictionary of American Biography 5:1 p 356-357, by A.A. [Adeline Adams].
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 333-334.
BH {1963} Who Was Who, p 256.
A12 {1968} Craven, passim, (biblio) 739.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 431.
AE1 {1988} Falk, 1:105.
A32 {1993} Reynolds, p 169.
BANB{1999} American National Biography, p 11:435, by Wayne Craven.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 2:1653.
D3a {2006} Benezit.Dictionary of Artists, p 7:413.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
E3 {1902-30} Forrer 7:467.
E8 {1951} Kenney, p 12.
E8A {1951} Kenney Manuscript File.
M19 {1958} Chamberlain (Georgia Stamm) Robert Ball Hughes, Sculptor, and
the U.S. Silver Coinage of 1840, The Numismatist 71:8 (August 1958) pp 928-
932. In reprint: American Medals and Medalists. Annandale, Virginia: Turnpike
Press. (1963) pp 109-113; figure 12, 44, 45.
A15 {1971} Vermeule, p 46-50.
E17 {1983} Pessolano-Filos, p 56.
O12 {1988} Breen 3021-3138, p 285-298; 3232-3469 309- 322; 334-35, 345-47, 350,
393, 436-37, 441, 493, 529, 678,