Unknown Medallion. Please Help.

Hello forum friends. My dad offered me this medallion but I can't recognize who the man in it is. Could you please help me find out who he is? I would be eternally grateful.

 

Welcome to the forum, antiques_dealer.
The man on your medallion looks very familiar, but right now I can't think who it is. Someone else probably will.

 

GBS?

 

Sort of looks like Darwin:



However, he looks like many other men of his time. You can compare with this Pinterest board of cameos with men's portraits

 

Except your guy still has his hair?

 

And a serious hump in his nose!

 

What sort of guy is your dad? What area of achievement, arts, science, politics, etc., interests him enough that he would have a medallion of one of its prominent figures?

 

WELCOME @antiques_dealer_1947, I see a cap on the back of his head....in the medallion......might help.....AND a signature (?) on his arm.......IS there any way you can snap a CLEARER image????? Thanks!!!!

 

Shaw:

 

I think we have to go back further in history.

 

I'll try to take a better picture. Keep you in touch.

 

I was thinking Darwin also, as a first impression....with hair, though, so maybe not.

 

If I'm seeing a notched collar, we're in the right era. There's a resemblance to portraits of Titian, but, again, appears to be too much hair.

 

I almost thought Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, but in that case the person on the medallion has too little hair. And also, I don't think Longefellow's beard was quite that long:

https://www.google.com/search?q=lon..._bLbAhWQk1kKHd0bDroQ_AUICygC&biw=1600&bih=769

The most likely are going to be scientists or authors, probably. Although other professions might apply.

So there is nothing else on the medal? On the back, for example? No words or other pictures?

 

Was thinking Walt Whitman - but I don't think Walt had that hump in his beak.

 

The nose is very distinctive and beards were common in the mid to late 19th century. So the nose will be a distinguishing factor, for sure.

 

I find ears & hairlines are also useful when trying to figure out whether 2 portraits are the same man.

 

I'm thinking he is one of our old Presidents. I was thinking this guy, close but no cigar.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...116&_odkw=john+mccormick+medal&LH_TitleDesc=0