PETTRICH, Ferdinand (1798-1872) German-American sculptor.
Full name: Ferdinand Friedrich August Pettrich.
Born Dresden, Germany, 3 December 1798.
Traveled throughout Europe, came to America before 1838.
The first sculptor commissioned to prepare a bas-relief model intended for an American medal. He modeled the design in wax (then cast it in iron). This pattern could then be reduced on the Contamin reducing lathe (acquired by Philadelphia Mint, 1837). His relief portrait of John Tyler became the obverse device for the Tyler Indian Peace Medal in three sizes and Presidential Medal in one size. The reduction of this portrait device – with all lettering added afterwards by hand punches and logotypes – was performed by Christian Gobrecht. The use of this reducing lathe eliminated the tedious hand engraving of different size dies while maintaining fidelity to the artist's original design in modulated relief. This one model by Pettrich was his only numismatic creation.
Pettrich also prepared architectural models for the western side of the U.S. Capitol and was paid $600 for these in 1838 (but the government did not buy his painting The Dying Tecumseh). In 1842 he sketched the Indian Keokuk who visited Washington DC. In 1847 he was in Brazil, but returned to U.S. and is listed in Philadelphia census of 1850. He removed to Rome late in life where the Pope granted him a pension.
Died Rome, Italy, 14 February 1872.
M E D A L S E R I E S
United States Indian Peace Medals:
1842 Tyler (John) Indian Peace Medal (large size) [obverse
portrait by Pettrich, reverse by John Reich, three
size dies reduced and cut by Christian Gobrecht on
U.S. Mint's newly installed Contamin pantograph
engraver]. . . . . . Loubat 57, Belden 35, Julian IP-21
Auctions:. BMP 2:5146-5147; J&J 9:442-443; NAS 22:1608;
PCA 43:398, PCA 49:50, PCA 51:281, PCA 61:289,
PCA 64:598, PCA 68:399, PCA 69:268,
PCA 73:529[aluminum]
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] 0000.999.33019
Collection: Smithsonian National Numismatic. . . 345:67
Illustrated: M19 {1963} Chamberlain, obv only, fig . 29
1842 Tyler (John) Indian Peace Medal (medium size; obv
Pettrich, rev Reich) . . . . . . Belden 36, Julian IP-22
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . BMP 2:5148-5149; J&J 9:444;
NAS 22:1610-1611; PCA 49:51, PCA 59:436, PCA 61:290
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . 1915.152.1
1842 Tyler (John) Indian Peace Medal (small size; obv
Pettrich, rev Reich) . . . . . . Belden 37, Julian IP-23
Auctions:. . . . . . BMP 2:5150; NAS 22:1611; PCA 62:306,
PCA 80:336
Collection: American Numismatic Society [>1] 1883.23.17
United States Presidential Medal Series:
1841 Tyler (John) Presidential Medal (portrait model by
Pettrich, engraved by Christian Gobrecht). . Julian PR-8
Auctions:. . . . BMP 2:5747-5748; PCA 43:7, PCA 64:257,
PCA 65:365, PCA 68:221
L I S T M E D A L S
1842 Tyler (John) Indian Peace Medal [IP-21]. . . . List 110
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . CAL 33:1090; PCA 43:FP10
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] . 1967.225.335
A R C H I V E S
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 3 items on partial microfilm reel: D10.
C O L L E C T I O N S
C4 {1912} Comparette 67, p 345 (no artist given).
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
101 {1955} Geller (Hans) Franz und Ferdinand Pettrich; zwei sachsische Bildhauer aus der Zeit des Klassizismus.
Dresden: Wolfgant Jess, (1955) 184pp, illus.
101 {1969} Pontual (Roberto) Diocionairio das Artes Plasticas no Brasil. `Rio de Janeiro, 1969.
D10 {1957} Groce and Wallace, p 503.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 721.
AE1 {1988} Falk, 1:172.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 3:2593.
D3a {2006} Benezit.Dictionary of Artists, p 10:1282.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
M2 {1878} Loubat 57, p 276, gives no one credit for creating this medal since it was unsigned.
A2 {1927} Fairman, p 76 (sketches for U.S. Capitol).
M19 {1957} Chamberlain (Georgia Stamm) Ferdinand Pettrich, Sculptor of the President Tyler Indian Peace Medal.
The Numismatist 70:4 (April 1957) pp 387-390. Reprinted in: American Medals and Medalists. (1963) pp 48-53;
figure 29.
M25 (1969} U.S. Mint, List 110, p 23.
D21 {1976} Samuels, p 370-371.
M37 {1977} Julian IP-21 to IP-23, p 46-47; PR-8 83.
E17 {1983} Pessolano-Filos, p 93-94.
S58 {1999} Rulau. Standard Catalog U.S. Tokens, p 192.
PEUS [full name and dates unknown] ( ) sculptor,
R E L I E F S
1914 Mickova (Anna) Portrait Relief (cast by Gorham) . . . .
1918 Adams ( ) Portrait Relief (cast by Gorham) . . . .
A R C H I V E S
GA Gorham Company Archives.
Full name: Ferdinand Friedrich August Pettrich.
Born Dresden, Germany, 3 December 1798.
Traveled throughout Europe, came to America before 1838.
The first sculptor commissioned to prepare a bas-relief model intended for an American medal. He modeled the design in wax (then cast it in iron). This pattern could then be reduced on the Contamin reducing lathe (acquired by Philadelphia Mint, 1837). His relief portrait of John Tyler became the obverse device for the Tyler Indian Peace Medal in three sizes and Presidential Medal in one size. The reduction of this portrait device – with all lettering added afterwards by hand punches and logotypes – was performed by Christian Gobrecht. The use of this reducing lathe eliminated the tedious hand engraving of different size dies while maintaining fidelity to the artist's original design in modulated relief. This one model by Pettrich was his only numismatic creation.
Pettrich also prepared architectural models for the western side of the U.S. Capitol and was paid $600 for these in 1838 (but the government did not buy his painting The Dying Tecumseh). In 1842 he sketched the Indian Keokuk who visited Washington DC. In 1847 he was in Brazil, but returned to U.S. and is listed in Philadelphia census of 1850. He removed to Rome late in life where the Pope granted him a pension.
Died Rome, Italy, 14 February 1872.
M E D A L S E R I E S
United States Indian Peace Medals:
1842 Tyler (John) Indian Peace Medal (large size) [obverse
portrait by Pettrich, reverse by John Reich, three
size dies reduced and cut by Christian Gobrecht on
U.S. Mint's newly installed Contamin pantograph
engraver]. . . . . . Loubat 57, Belden 35, Julian IP-21
Auctions:. BMP 2:5146-5147; J&J 9:442-443; NAS 22:1608;
PCA 43:398, PCA 49:50, PCA 51:281, PCA 61:289,
PCA 64:598, PCA 68:399, PCA 69:268,
PCA 73:529[aluminum]
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] 0000.999.33019
Collection: Smithsonian National Numismatic. . . 345:67
Illustrated: M19 {1963} Chamberlain, obv only, fig . 29
1842 Tyler (John) Indian Peace Medal (medium size; obv
Pettrich, rev Reich) . . . . . . Belden 36, Julian IP-22
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . BMP 2:5148-5149; J&J 9:444;
NAS 22:1610-1611; PCA 49:51, PCA 59:436, PCA 61:290
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . 1915.152.1
1842 Tyler (John) Indian Peace Medal (small size; obv
Pettrich, rev Reich) . . . . . . Belden 37, Julian IP-23
Auctions:. . . . . . BMP 2:5150; NAS 22:1611; PCA 62:306,
PCA 80:336
Collection: American Numismatic Society [>1] 1883.23.17
United States Presidential Medal Series:
1841 Tyler (John) Presidential Medal (portrait model by
Pettrich, engraved by Christian Gobrecht). . Julian PR-8
Auctions:. . . . BMP 2:5747-5748; PCA 43:7, PCA 64:257,
PCA 65:365, PCA 68:221
L I S T M E D A L S
1842 Tyler (John) Indian Peace Medal [IP-21]. . . . List 110
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . CAL 33:1090; PCA 43:FP10
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1] . 1967.225.335
A R C H I V E S
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 3 items on partial microfilm reel: D10.
C O L L E C T I O N S
C4 {1912} Comparette 67, p 345 (no artist given).
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
101 {1955} Geller (Hans) Franz und Ferdinand Pettrich; zwei sachsische Bildhauer aus der Zeit des Klassizismus.
Dresden: Wolfgant Jess, (1955) 184pp, illus.
101 {1969} Pontual (Roberto) Diocionairio das Artes Plasticas no Brasil. `Rio de Janeiro, 1969.
D10 {1957} Groce and Wallace, p 503.
D33 {1986} Opitz, p 721.
AE1 {1988} Falk, 1:172.
BF2 {1999} Falk. Who Was Who in American Art, p 3:2593.
D3a {2006} Benezit.Dictionary of Artists, p 10:1282.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
M2 {1878} Loubat 57, p 276, gives no one credit for creating this medal since it was unsigned.
A2 {1927} Fairman, p 76 (sketches for U.S. Capitol).
M19 {1957} Chamberlain (Georgia Stamm) Ferdinand Pettrich, Sculptor of the President Tyler Indian Peace Medal.
The Numismatist 70:4 (April 1957) pp 387-390. Reprinted in: American Medals and Medalists. (1963) pp 48-53;
figure 29.
M25 (1969} U.S. Mint, List 110, p 23.
D21 {1976} Samuels, p 370-371.
M37 {1977} Julian IP-21 to IP-23, p 46-47; PR-8 83.
E17 {1983} Pessolano-Filos, p 93-94.
S58 {1999} Rulau. Standard Catalog U.S. Tokens, p 192.
PEUS [full name and dates unknown] ( ) sculptor,
R E L I E F S
1914 Mickova (Anna) Portrait Relief (cast by Gorham) . . . .
1918 Adams ( ) Portrait Relief (cast by Gorham) . . . .
A R C H I V E S
GA Gorham Company Archives.