PICKETT, Byron M. (1833-1907) sculptor, New York City.
Infrequently misspelled Picket.
Born Jordan, Cayuga County, New York, 3 August 1833.
He is listed in New York City directories (1864-1877).
Of French descent he was an associate (perhaps student)
of sculptor Leonard Volk (q.v.).
Pickett's most famous work is a life-size bronze statue,
Samuel F.B. Morse, in New York City's Central Park,
dedicated 10 June 1871 (attended by Morse in person).
His bronze bas-relief, Peace and Unity, is mounted on
the monument to the 66th New York Infantry, a granite
shaft, located on the battlefield in Gettysburg.
His Lincoln bas-relief, created in 1873, was obtained by
L.G. Muller (q.v.) in 1908, who copyrighted it and issued
it in several sizes with only identity of “Picket” without
full name; this portrait also served as the model for U.S.
postal cards in 1911 (Scott UX23) and 1913 (UX26),
engraved by Marcus W. Baldwin. Full size replicas of
Pickett’s relief Lincoln head were made (by Massolini
Art Craft Co, Cleveland) in unknown year. Medals in
reduced size were issued by the Lincoln National Life
Insurance Company in 1963 and a subsequent firm,
Lincoln National Reinsurance in1983 (both struck by
Medallic Art Co, see MAco 1963-009 and 1983-171 below).
Pickett died Tenefly, New Jersey, 3 March 1907.
After considerable research, a great grand-nephew of
Pickett, Ron Haney of Rochester, New York, learned
the location of where Pickett was buried, Brookside
Cemetery, Tenefly, and in 2012 he ordered a gravestone
placed at the gravesite listing both Pickett and his wife.
R E L I E F S
1873 Lincoln (Abraham) Head Plaque [also known as Pickett
Head Lincoln; was issued as a cast plaque in 1908,
1920ca and struck medal in 1963, see below; also as
model for U.S. postal cards of 1911, 1913]. . . . . . . . .
Illustrated: N41{2009} Reed. Lincoln, The Image, p 144, 173
Illustrated: N47{2012} Reed, Icon [postal cards illus] p. . 89
1873c Florence Medallion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctions:. . Leavitt Auctioneers (22 March 1873) lot 19
1873c Jennie Medallion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctions:. . Leavitt Auctioneers (22 March 1873) lot 20
1873c Unnamed Medallion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctions:. . Leavitt Auctioneers (22 March 1873) lot 24
1889 Peace and Unity Relief (mounted on 66th New York
Infantry Monument, dedicated 8 October 1889). . . . .
1890c L’Allegro and Il Penseroso Portraits Relief (Milton’s
fictional characters) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
R E P L I C A S & R E I S S U E S
1908 Lincoln (Abraham) Oval Cast Plaque.(Pickett’s 1873
Lincoln head issued by L.G. Muller after
copyrighting it in 1908). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Illustrated: N41{2009} Reed. Lincoln,The Image,p 144,173
Illustrated: N47{2012} Reed, Abe Lincoln Am Icon, p. . 89
1920ca Lincoln (Abraham) Oval Cast Plaque (full size cast of
Picket’s 1873 Lincoln head in brown and green patina
made by Massolini Art Craft Company, Cleveland) . . .
Illustrated: N47{2012} Reed, Abe Lincoln Am Icon, p .190
Infrequently misspelled Picket.
Born Jordan, Cayuga County, New York, 3 August 1833.
He is listed in New York City directories (1864-1877).
Of French descent he was an associate (perhaps student)
of sculptor Leonard Volk (q.v.).
Pickett's most famous work is a life-size bronze statue,
Samuel F.B. Morse, in New York City's Central Park,
dedicated 10 June 1871 (attended by Morse in person).
His bronze bas-relief, Peace and Unity, is mounted on
the monument to the 66th New York Infantry, a granite
shaft, located on the battlefield in Gettysburg.
His Lincoln bas-relief, created in 1873, was obtained by
L.G. Muller (q.v.) in 1908, who copyrighted it and issued
it in several sizes with only identity of “Picket” without
full name; this portrait also served as the model for U.S.
postal cards in 1911 (Scott UX23) and 1913 (UX26),
engraved by Marcus W. Baldwin. Full size replicas of
Pickett’s relief Lincoln head were made (by Massolini
Art Craft Co, Cleveland) in unknown year. Medals in
reduced size were issued by the Lincoln National Life
Insurance Company in 1963 and a subsequent firm,
Lincoln National Reinsurance in1983 (both struck by
Medallic Art Co, see MAco 1963-009 and 1983-171 below).
Pickett died Tenefly, New Jersey, 3 March 1907.
After considerable research, a great grand-nephew of
Pickett, Ron Haney of Rochester, New York, learned
the location of where Pickett was buried, Brookside
Cemetery, Tenefly, and in 2012 he ordered a gravestone
placed at the gravesite listing both Pickett and his wife.
R E L I E F S
1873 Lincoln (Abraham) Head Plaque [also known as Pickett
Head Lincoln; was issued as a cast plaque in 1908,
1920ca and struck medal in 1963, see below; also as
model for U.S. postal cards of 1911, 1913]. . . . . . . . .
Illustrated: N41{2009} Reed. Lincoln, The Image, p 144, 173
Illustrated: N47{2012} Reed, Icon [postal cards illus] p. . 89
1873c Florence Medallion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctions:. . Leavitt Auctioneers (22 March 1873) lot 19
1873c Jennie Medallion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctions:. . Leavitt Auctioneers (22 March 1873) lot 20
1873c Unnamed Medallion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auctions:. . Leavitt Auctioneers (22 March 1873) lot 24
1889 Peace and Unity Relief (mounted on 66th New York
Infantry Monument, dedicated 8 October 1889). . . . .
1890c L’Allegro and Il Penseroso Portraits Relief (Milton’s
fictional characters) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
R E P L I C A S & R E I S S U E S
1908 Lincoln (Abraham) Oval Cast Plaque.(Pickett’s 1873
Lincoln head issued by L.G. Muller after
copyrighting it in 1908). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Illustrated: N41{2009} Reed. Lincoln,The Image,p 144,173
Illustrated: N47{2012} Reed, Abe Lincoln Am Icon, p. . 89
1920ca Lincoln (Abraham) Oval Cast Plaque (full size cast of
Picket’s 1873 Lincoln head in brown and green patina
made by Massolini Art Craft Company, Cleveland) . . .
Illustrated: N47{2012} Reed, Abe Lincoln Am Icon, p .190
1963 Lincoln National Life Insurance Company Pickett Head
Lincoln Medal (struck by Medallic Art) . . .MAco 1963-009
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PCA 64:1781
1983 Lincoln National Reinsurance Medal (obv 1873 Lincoln port
by Byron M. Pickett, lettering and rev by Gladys Gunzer;
oval medal struck by Medallic Art) . . . . . . .MAco 1983-171
S C U L P T U R E
1871Morse (Samuel F.B.) Statue (Central Park, New York) . . . .
1890c Hopkins ( ) Bust (Vermont bishop) . . . . . . . . . .
1890c Cinderella Statue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
BF2{1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 3:2605.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
Px {1955} Warren (Louis A.) "Pickett's Profile of Lincoln." Lincoln Lore; Bulletin of
the Lincoln National Foundation. Fort Wayne, Indiana: Lincoln National Foundation. Number 1363 (23 May 1955)
p 1.
Px {1980} Johnson (D. Wayne) Pickett Head of Lincoln Was Model for 1911 Postal Card Linns Stamp News (24
March 1980) p 52, illus.
Px {1980} Bozarth (Theodore W.) 1873 Bas-Relief Source of Lincoln Library Card Portrait Postal Stationery 22:3
(May-June 1980) p 66-69,illus.
101 {1984} Anon. Rreinsurance Unveils New Visitor Medallion,
Reinsurance Reporter (February 1984) p 24-25.
A37{1988} Gayle (Margot) and Cohen Michael) The Art Commission and the Municipal Art Society Guide to
Manhattan’s Outdoor Sculpture. New York: Prentice Hall Press (1988) p 21 (Pickett’s Morse illustrated).
N41 {2009} Reed. Abraham Lincoln, The Image of His Greatness, p 144, 173, 184.
Lincoln Medal (struck by Medallic Art) . . .MAco 1963-009
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PCA 64:1781
1983 Lincoln National Reinsurance Medal (obv 1873 Lincoln port
by Byron M. Pickett, lettering and rev by Gladys Gunzer;
oval medal struck by Medallic Art) . . . . . . .MAco 1983-171
S C U L P T U R E
1871Morse (Samuel F.B.) Statue (Central Park, New York) . . . .
1890c Hopkins ( ) Bust (Vermont bishop) . . . . . . . . . .
1890c Cinderella Statue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
BF2{1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 3:2605.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
Px {1955} Warren (Louis A.) "Pickett's Profile of Lincoln." Lincoln Lore; Bulletin of
the Lincoln National Foundation. Fort Wayne, Indiana: Lincoln National Foundation. Number 1363 (23 May 1955)
p 1.
Px {1980} Johnson (D. Wayne) Pickett Head of Lincoln Was Model for 1911 Postal Card Linns Stamp News (24
March 1980) p 52, illus.
Px {1980} Bozarth (Theodore W.) 1873 Bas-Relief Source of Lincoln Library Card Portrait Postal Stationery 22:3
(May-June 1980) p 66-69,illus.
101 {1984} Anon. Rreinsurance Unveils New Visitor Medallion,
Reinsurance Reporter (February 1984) p 24-25.
A37{1988} Gayle (Margot) and Cohen Michael) The Art Commission and the Municipal Art Society Guide to
Manhattan’s Outdoor Sculpture. New York: Prentice Hall Press (1988) p 21 (Pickett’s Morse illustrated).
N41 {2009} Reed. Abraham Lincoln, The Image of His Greatness, p 144, 173, 184.