Large Plaque.... any idea who it is?

So I inherited this plaque. It is thirteen inches high and eighteen inches wide. It is thirty eight pounds. In each corner in the back there is a threaded hole that does not come through to the front.

The only signature appears to be on the bottom right and seems to be H70.

My father-in-law bought it in 1972 from a dealer in Michigan who thought this was Charles Lindburgh. I have been in indirect contact with Reeve Lindburgh and she's certain it's not her dad.

Many people have suggested it might be Frank Sinatra. I've been in direct contact with Nancy, who is positive it's not her dad.

Abe Lincoln was another thought. I've been in contact with the Railsplitter and they don't think it is him either.

The spots on the piece are from the egg crate foam that it was sitting in from about 1972 to 2013.

It sure does look like Bill Nye though. I even emailed him and asked if he wanted to buy it, but I haven't heard from him.

Now you know what I know.

 

Why is he laying in the grass staring at clouds? That has to be a clue.

 

I don't believe that is C.A.L.
-
I would like to connect with Reeve though please.

 

I think the artist may have been aiming for young Henry Ford. The jawline and bow tie aren't really right.

 

A google reverse image search doesn't find an exact match for the image - but google does suggest that the face is Abraham Lincoln.

https://www.google.com/search?tbs=s...2pSbaEN8muBk2oPEH-mdMPVq2GBbKGTRlhQH7d4JtjeVQ

 

Well spotted. I thought it was a plane wreck!

 

My first thougt was a young Lincoln depicted dreaming in the grass, but his hair would not be cut this short on the sides and the bowtie not right. Thinking of Lincoln brought up my second thought, poet, author, etc... Carl Sandburg. His most noted works were on Lincoln. The subject matter would fit a dreaming poet. Sandburg was noted for his bowties especially in his younger years. He did wear bowties in later years but also regular ties. 2 elements now make me think *not* Sandburg are the neatness and shorthess of his hair on top and having a slight grim. Sandburg had more hair on top and parted his hair almost in the middle with the sides of the part hanging down. Just about all pictures of him, formal and informal, has the hair hanging down. A more serious facial expression was used by him and the artists depictions of him.

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. Click the small thumbnails on the left to see other pics of him in bowties, especially those under "Writer Introduction" section.
https://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/carl/imgGal.html
https://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/carl/story/PrairieTownBoy/CARL26796_painting.html
https://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/carl/pencil/poet/CARL23063Sandburglecturerecitalposter.html
https://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/carl/pencil/newspaperman/CARL7877SandburgCreditUnknown.html

Now I haven't a clue who it is, but with the dreaming young man lying in the grass does make me think a poet - not Robert Frost. If this is a person of note, I'm surprised his name isn't on it somewhere.

--- Susan

 

Don Ackerman, the Railsplitter's editor, as well as the Consignment Director in the Historical Department as Heritage Auctions for a number of years, didn't think so. Neither did an number of other experts in the field of political antiques.

 

Susan, thanks for your insightful thoughts.

Your point that I quoted is something that is a real possibility. This may not be a person of note. This could be a private sale, someone hiring the sculptor to make this piece for a family memorial or something. I'm well aware we might not ever know.

It's just that it's so darn heavy! Don thinks it'd sell for a few hundred dollars. I wonder if it would fit into a USPS flat rate box

 

Just found your query on the Railsplitter's website. They are asking if anyone knows who this is. They noted elements of mountain, clouds, and birds. I had noticed the mountain, 1 high mountain. This mountain brought up the thought of Robert Frost who lived and loved New Hampshire with the White Mountains, Mountain Washington. I do not think it is Frost for the profile is wrong and he wasn't noted for bowties. I'm leaning towards my first thought of Lincoln.
http://railsplitter.com/?page_id=3655

--- Susan

Edit: The mountains certainly don't scream Lincoln for neither Illinois or the area of Kentucky where Lincoln lived had such mountains. Artistic license probably come into play with this piece.

 

Could that sig. be 2 stylized initials with "70" for year done?

--- Susan

 

As I said, everyone sees that as H70.

 

Hello?

 

Oops, I missed that!

I started that conversation here: http://lindberghfoundation.org/contact-us

 

Thank you.

 

Maybe one of the Wright brothers? The ear looks right.
http://www.wright-brothers.org/Info...t_Family_images/Wilbur_Wright_1909_Age_42.jpg

 

I emailed them and asked their opinion.

 

Hi,
The back board that was screwed to the plaque probably held the plate identifying the guy. The church I help restore had 20 to 30 of these types of bronze memorials which were ID'd that way.
greg

 

So you're saying the id plate was the full size of the plaque? I've never seen that.

 

I also contacted http://wrightbrothers.info as well as the Wright Brothers National Memorial, Manteo, NC