Description:

Bartholdi Frederic

Two relics from the October 28, 1886 Statue of Liberty dedication ceremony, including an Aide de Camp lapel ribbon, as well as a ticket admitting the bearer to the platform. Both were used by attendee Georges A. Glaenzer at the inauguration ceremony of the Statue of Liberty on Bedloe's Island in New York Harbor.

The ceremonial ribbon reads "Aide de Camp, Inauguration, October 28th 1886" in gilt lettering. The pink ribbon has faded to a silvery mauve, ornamented with an embossed Statue of Liberty at center, and two pieces of decorative metallic trim at top and bottom. A tarnished metal coil fringe is suspended from the bottom; the right half of the trim has become detached and the left-most coil is loose. Six discolored spots, likely from glue, run in two vertical columns along ribbon. The top back of the ribbon is adhered to a small paper slip. Otherwise in good condition, measuring 2.5" x 6.5".

The heavy cream stock admission ticket is printed "Admit to Platform" and "Not Transferable". It is hand-inscribed with the name of Franco-American Union French Committee Secretary "Georges A. Glaenzer, Esquire". In near fine condition, with a little surface grime to left side, measuring 4.35" x 2".

The Statue of Liberty's dedication ceremony on Bedloe's Island was an exclusive event attended only by dignitaries, first among them 24th U.S. President Grover Cleveland (1837-1908). Ferdinand de Lesseps (1805-1894) and William M. Evarts (1818-1901) spoke on behalf of the French and American Committees of the Franco-American Union respectively. Bartholdi declined to speak, but did signal the release of the French flag covering Liberty's face prematurely. There were only two female attendees at the ceremony, as it was feared that women would be crushed in the crowd.

Statue of Liberty sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi (1834-1904) studied painting, sculpture, and architecture under well-known instructors like Viollet-le-Duc in Paris. Following his service in the Franco-Prussian War, Bartholdi became increasingly interested in sculpting monumental works celebrating resistance against oppression, and Enlightenment ideals like Freedom. Bartholdi later conceived of the design of the “Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World”. The fundraising phase of this process would take years, and indeed long surpass the actual 100th anniversary of the United States. Yet once it was installed in 1886, the massive 151-ft tall copper-clad sculpture of a standing woman would fundamentally change the cityscape.

Ceremony attendee and French expatriate Georges Auguste Glaenzer (1848-1915) was a member of the French Commission to the Centennial, and Secretary of the French Committee of the Franco-American Union. This Franco-Prussian War veteran transferred his interior decorating business to the United States in 1880, where he beautified the homes of affluent New Yorkers like the Vanderbilts. He was also a friend of Bartholdi's and the son-in-law of Secretary of the American Committee Richard Butler.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. ***PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SHIPMENT TO BE SENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE ON FILE WITH INVALUABLE, YOU WILL NEED TO INFORM US OF THIS AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR WINNINGS*** Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 20% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000