LOT OF THREE SHOOTING MEDALS OF MAJOR JOHN W. HESSION.

Revised: 10/13/2013

Estimate should read 5,000-30,000.

LOT OF THREE SHOOTING MEDALS OF MAJOR JOHN W. HESSION. Maj. John W. (Jack) Hession (1877-1961) was an international shooter of great repute, early in his career earning a position on the US shooting team and the 1908 US Olympic team. He continued shooting competitively pretty much throughout his entire life, setting many world records, four in one day, in small bore competition. He shot in over 500 major competitions throughout his career both nationally and internationally and once held every record from 200 to 1200 yds and was a member of twelve teams that represented the United States in international competition. Later in his life he worked as a ballistic engineer for both Remington & Winchester. During his career at Winchester he designed a new forearm for the Model 21 double bbl shotgun which is both shorter and lighter and allegedly improved shooters scores. This forearm today is referred to as the Hession forearm. As follows are three of Maj. Hession’s prized medals. 1). Extraordinarily rare National Rifle Association solid gold medal for a World Record score of 1720, dated 1912. Medal has the NRA emblem in the top center on a ribbon inscribed “WORLDS RECORD” and surmounted by the date “1912” with “1720 / SCORE” on a ribbon on the bottom. Suspended from each end of the top ribbon on chains are two cartridges that appear to be modeled after the 30-40 Krag. Suspended from the bullets of those tiny cartridges is the award itself which measures 1-1/2″ by 1-1/4″ surmounted by an extremely detailed spread-winged American Eagle clutching a laurel wreath in its talons over a bar inscribed “PALMA”. The face of the medal is inscribed in raised letters “IN THE NAME OF / THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / TO THE RIFLEMAN OF THE WORLD” and has six small wreaths attached, three to each side, dated 1876 through 1912 and a seventh, undated, suspended from a small chain. Back of the medal is marked “BIGES & LUST / 20 JOHN ST / NY” on one side and opposite it is marked “SOLID GOLD”. This is an extraordinary medal the likes of which will probably never be encountered again. 2). 1908 Olympic gold medal for shooting team. Rim of the medal is engraved “J.W.HESIAN (sic), RIFLE TEAM BISLEY ENG.”. Medal is 2″ in diameter and 1/8″ thick with rings from the top and is gold plated. 3). Bronze medal 2-1/2″ diameter by 1/8″ thick with the raised image of a bearded elderly man on the front inscribed near the rim “Dan Beard”. The artist signature is “J. Juszko”. The reverse is inscribed around the top “COURAGE LOYALTY HONOR” and in an arc in two lines “TO MAJOR JOHN W HESSION / BUCKSKIN MAN-RIFLEMAN” and below in two lines in smaller letters “IN MEMORY OF / HIS FRIEND”. Incsribed on a ribbon near the bottom “DAN BEARD”. The ribbon is overlaid with a Kentucky rifle in relief, floral leaves, a powder horn and possibles bag. The Beard medal commemorates Daniel Carter Beard (1850-1941) who was the American founder of the Boys Scouts of America. He was a painter & illustrator and also the author of 21 books on outdoor living & survival skills. Mt. Beard which adjoins Mt. McKinley is named for him. PROVENANCE: Maj. John W. Hession CONDITION: 1). The NRA shooting medal is extremely fine retaining virtually all of its great detail. 2). Olympic medal is very good with couple of tiny losses of gold plating and has numerous light nicks & scratches. 3) The Dan Beard medal has one small ding in the rim otherwise is fine with a wonderful bronze patina. 4-48379 JR422 (30,000-50,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2013

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	3061	$5,175.00	Revised: 10/13/2013 Estimate should read 5,000-30,000. LOT OF THREE SHOOTING MEDALS OF MAJOR JOHN W. HESSION. Maj. John W. (Jack) Hession (1877-1961) was an international shooter of great repute, early in his career earning a position on the US shooting team and the 1908 US Olympic team. He continued shooting competitively pretty much throughout his entire life, setting many world records, four in one day, in small bore competition. He shot in over 500 major competitions throughout his career both nationally and internationally and once held every record from 200 to 1200 yds and was a member of twelve teams that represented the United States in international competition. Later in his life he worked as a ballistic engineer for both Remington & Winchester. During his career at Winchester he designed a new forearm for the Model 21 double bbl shotgun which is both shorter and lighter and allegedly improved shooters scores. This forearm today is referred to as the Hession forearm. As follows are three of Maj. Hession’s prized medals. 1). Extraordinarily rare National Rifle Association solid gold medal for a World Record score of 1720, dated 1912. Medal has the NRA emblem in the top center on a ribbon inscribed “WORLDS RECORD” and surmounted by the date “1912” with “1720 / SCORE” on a ribbon on the bottom. Suspended from each end of the top ribbon on chains are two cartridges that appear to be modeled after the 30-40 Krag. Suspended from the bullets of those tiny cartridges is the award itself which measures 1-1/2″ by 1-1/4″ surmounted by an extremely detailed spread-winged American Eagle clutching a laurel wreath in its talons over a bar inscribed “PALMA”. The face of the medal is inscribed in raised letters “IN THE NAME OF / THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / TO THE RIFLEMAN OF THE WORLD” and has six small wreaths attached, three to each side, dated 1876 through 1912 and a seventh, undated, suspended from a small chain. Back of the medal is marked “BIGES & LUST / 20 JOHN ST / NY” on one side and opposite it is marked “SOLID GOLD”. This is an extraordinary medal the likes of which will probably never be encountered again. 2). 1908 Olympic gold medal for shooting team. Rim of the medal is engraved “J.W.HESIAN (sic), RIFLE TEAM BISLEY ENG.”. Medal is 2″ in diameter and 1/8″ thick with rings from the top and is gold plated. 3). Bronze medal 2-1/2″ diameter by 1/8″ thick with the raised image of a bearded elderly man on the front inscribed near the rim “Dan Beard”. The artist signature is “J. Juszko”. The reverse is inscribed around the top “COURAGE LOYALTY HONOR” and in an arc in two lines “TO MAJOR JOHN W HESSION / BUCKSKIN MAN-RIFLEMAN” and below in two lines in smaller letters “IN MEMORY OF / HIS FRIEND”. Incsribed on a ribbon near the bottom “DAN BEARD”. The ribbon is overlaid with a Kentucky rifle in relief, floral leaves, a powder horn and possibles bag. The Beard medal commemorates Daniel Carter Beard (1850-1941) who was the American founder of the Boys Scouts of America. He was a painter & illustrator and also the author of 21 books on outdoor living & survival skills. Mt. Beard which adjoins Mt. McKinley is named for him. PROVENANCE: Maj. John W. Hession CONDITION: 1). The NRA shooting medal is extremely fine retaining virtually all of its great detail. 2). Olympic medal is very good with couple of tiny losses of gold plating and has numerous light nicks & scratches. 3) The Dan Beard medal has one small ding in the rim otherwise is fine with a wonderful bronze patina. 4-48379 JR422 (30,000-50,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2013 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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