BIRCH, Thomas (1779-1851) Early American marine, landscape painter.
Born England, 26 July 1779.
Forrer and Kenney attributed the creation of the 1792 Birch Cents to Thomas Birch,
instead of his father, William Russell Birch (q.v.). Thomas was then 13 years old and
hardly the engraver. Breen (and others) correctly attribute these coins to the elder
Birch. Also most authorities state it was not until 1794 that the Birchs, father and son,
came to America. This means the 1792 Birch Cent and Disme dies were engraved in
England (rather unlikely) more likely they came in 1791.
Died Philadelphia, 12 January 1851.
R E P L I C A S & R E I S S U E S
1815 Hull (Isaac) Naval Victories Medal (engraved by
John Reich, rev after painting of naval battle by
Thomas Birch). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loubat 25, Julian NA-12
Auctions:. . . . . . . .BMP 2:5317; NAS 22:1701; PCA 49:15,
PCA 50:1435, PCA 52:360, PCA 55:216, PCA 56:321,
PCA 57:392, PCA 58:387, PCA 60:300, PCA 61:320,
PCA 68:514
Collection: American Numismatic Society [>1] 1915.138.5
Collection: Smithsonian National Numismatic. . . . . 337:29
Illustrated: M19 {1963} Chamberlain, fig . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
Px {1851} Philadelphia Public Ledger (13 January 1851) p 2:2 obituary.
Px {1861} History Magazine (September 1861) p 277.
D3 {1911} Benezit (1999 14ed), 2:332.
D8 {1926} Fielding, p 29.
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 51.
BH {1963) Who Was Who, p 56.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 72.
AE1 {1988} Falk, 1:26-28, 1:453.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 1:322.
PA1 {1999} Schmidt, p 2:829.
D3a {2006} Benezit. Dictionary of Artists p 2:506.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
E3 {1902-30} Forrer 7:83 [attributes the coin engraving of his father, William Russell,
to Thomas].
E8 {1951} Kenney, 4 [misattributes coin engraving].
P2 {1982} Carlson (Carl W.A.) Birch and the Patterns of '92. The Numismatist 95:3 (March 1982)
E17 {1983} Pessolano-Filos, p 14 [repeats misattribution of coin engraving to wrong Birch].
O12 {1988} Breen [see W.R. Birch entry for correct data].
N31 {1992} Smith. American Numismatic Biographies, p 30.
Born England, 26 July 1779.
Forrer and Kenney attributed the creation of the 1792 Birch Cents to Thomas Birch,
instead of his father, William Russell Birch (q.v.). Thomas was then 13 years old and
hardly the engraver. Breen (and others) correctly attribute these coins to the elder
Birch. Also most authorities state it was not until 1794 that the Birchs, father and son,
came to America. This means the 1792 Birch Cent and Disme dies were engraved in
England (rather unlikely) more likely they came in 1791.
Died Philadelphia, 12 January 1851.
R E P L I C A S & R E I S S U E S
1815 Hull (Isaac) Naval Victories Medal (engraved by
John Reich, rev after painting of naval battle by
Thomas Birch). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loubat 25, Julian NA-12
Auctions:. . . . . . . .BMP 2:5317; NAS 22:1701; PCA 49:15,
PCA 50:1435, PCA 52:360, PCA 55:216, PCA 56:321,
PCA 57:392, PCA 58:387, PCA 60:300, PCA 61:320,
PCA 68:514
Collection: American Numismatic Society [>1] 1915.138.5
Collection: Smithsonian National Numismatic. . . . . 337:29
Illustrated: M19 {1963} Chamberlain, fig . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
Px {1851} Philadelphia Public Ledger (13 January 1851) p 2:2 obituary.
Px {1861} History Magazine (September 1861) p 277.
D3 {1911} Benezit (1999 14ed), 2:332.
D8 {1926} Fielding, p 29.
D15 {1957} Groce and Wallace p 51.
BH {1963) Who Was Who, p 56.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 72.
AE1 {1988} Falk, 1:26-28, 1:453.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 1:322.
PA1 {1999} Schmidt, p 2:829.
D3a {2006} Benezit. Dictionary of Artists p 2:506.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
E3 {1902-30} Forrer 7:83 [attributes the coin engraving of his father, William Russell,
to Thomas].
E8 {1951} Kenney, 4 [misattributes coin engraving].
P2 {1982} Carlson (Carl W.A.) Birch and the Patterns of '92. The Numismatist 95:3 (March 1982)
E17 {1983} Pessolano-Filos, p 14 [repeats misattribution of coin engraving to wrong Birch].
O12 {1988} Breen [see W.R. Birch entry for correct data].
N31 {1992} Smith. American Numismatic Biographies, p 30.