197:"His early interest in natural history had expanded to embrace geography, geology, mineralogy, archeology, numismatics, and every aspect of American history, including aboriginal, general, local, political, social, and cultural history. He collected books in English and other languages and was a bibliographer of skill and breadth. He accumulated pamphlets, newspapers, handbills, and every other kind of political publication. He strove to record the history of the Colonies, including their differences with England and their eventual struggle for independence. Perhaps oddly for a collector, he was generous in lending books and other materials from his collections. In 1781 the College of New Jersey (now Princeton) granted him an honorary degree of Master of Arts.
203:"His great personal vision embraced the founding of an American museum and the compiling of a history of the Colonies. In his efforts to achieve his objectives, he fought a constant battle with poverty and with the lack of interest of persons who might have helped him gather materials. In a measure he realized his vision briefly in his 'American Museum,' located in a house in Arch Street above 4th, which he advertised as early as September 1782. But the history was never written; he died destitute, and his collections were sold to pay his debts. He is now regarded as the founder of the first history museum in the United States."
200:"All the while he continued to practice his profession of artist and painter, from which he earned a precarious living. He drew designs for a variety of state, local, and institutional seals. He drew maps, frontispieces, and technical illustrations for publications. He did pencil, chalk, and water-color portraits for a fee — though he seems not to have worked in oil. He seized every opportunity to sketch from life the notables, both American and British, who came to Philadelphia; and more often than not his sketches went into his own collection.
244:"This Mr. du Simitière is a very curious Man. He has begun a Collection of Materials for an History of this Revolution. He begins with the first Advices of the Tea Ships. He cuts out of the Newspapers, every Scrap of Intelligence, and every Piece of Speculation, and pastes it upon clean Paper, arranging them under the Head of the State to which they belong and intends to bind them up in Volumes. He has a List of every Speculation and Pamphlet concerning Independence, and another of those concerning Forms of Government."
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Mahogany cabinet containing ancient and modern Gold, Silver, and Copper Coins and Medals." This sale precedes all sales in
Atinelli's Numisgraphics by 43 years and is considered to be the first known coin auction sale in America. An advertisement for this sale reposes in the Archives of the Library Company of Philadelphia.
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His coin collection was the first record in Early
American history to serve as collateral on a loan granted to him by William Dilwyn. This collection later on was sold at public auction by Matthew Clarkson and Ebenezer Hazard, on March 19, 1785 at Philadelphia. Included in the sale as Lot #19 was "A
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He created the first
American museum of natural history from his personal collections constituted during his travels and through his purchases. He opened it to the public in 1782, four years before
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before moving to New York and then
Philadelphia. He spelled his name Pierre-Eugène du Simitière, Pierre Eugene du Simitiere or du Symitiere after settling in Philadelphia. Elected to the
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Born in Geneva, du
Simitiere's original name was Pierre-Eugène Ducimetière or Pierre-Eugène du Cimetière. After leaving the Republic of Geneva, he spent more than a decade in the
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Van Horne, John C., Pierre Eugene DuSimitiere: His
American Museum 200 Years after (Philadelphia, 1985)
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Du
Simitiere served as the artistic consultant for the committees that designed the
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Du
Simitiere served as the artistic consultant for the committees that designed the
388:"John N. Lupia's numismatic bibliography illuminates the history of the coin hobby"
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Du
Simitiere has living descendants throughout Switzerland, France, and the US.
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311:"Pierre Eugene du Simitiere - Consultant to the First Great Seal Committee"
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from the
Continental Congress designed to draw the new British subjects of
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Levey, Martin (1951), "The First American Museum of Natural History",
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Submissions of the first Great Seal Committee, at GreatSeal.com
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In a letter to his wife on August 14, 1776, John Adams wrote
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in 1768, he further became one of its curators (1777–1781).
171:(which was still called College of New Jersey until 1896).
108:, and submitted the first proposed design to include the
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Du Simitiere was the translator into French for the
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18th-century scientists from the Republic of Geneva
462:18th-century artists from the Republic of Geneva
477:Members of the American Philosophical Society
112:and suggested the adoption of the U.S. motto
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291:"The Great Seal of the State of New Jersey"
151:("Out of Many, One"). He also designed the
36:Raising the Liberty Pole in New York City
212:First American museum of natural history
179:took drawing lessons with du Simitiere.
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492:18th-century American philanthropists
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184:Letters to the inhabitants of Canada
497:Immigrants to the Thirteen Colonies
46:stationed in the city prior to the
228:First coin auction sale in America
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139:Great Seal of the United States
106:Great Seal of the United States
25:Great Seal of the United States
132:American Philosophical Society
91:American Philosophical Society
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435:Lexicon on art in Switzerland
428:"Du Simitière, Pierre-Eugène"
386:Orosz, Joel (8 August 2014).
269:26/2010 (December 24, 2010).
418:The Eagle That is Forgotten
261:Swiss made – die Dollarnote
67:[pjɛʁøʒɛndysimtjɛʁ]
16:American artist (1737–1784)
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482:Natural history collectors
192:American Revolutionary War
55:Pierre Eugene du Simitiere
48:American Revolutionary War
59:Pierre-Eugène Ducimetière
101:, and portrait painter.
23:Original design for the
118:("Out of Many, One").
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472:American philosophers
218:Charles Willson Peale
70:; 18 September 1737,
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27:, by Simitiere (1776)
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169:Princeton University
222:Philadelphia Museum
420:(Wolfenboro, 1988)
153:Seal of New Jersey
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165:George Washington
143:Eye of Providence
110:Eye of Providence
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416:Orosz, Joel J.,
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332:(1): 10–12,
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294:. Retrieved
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207:Other events
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175:'s daughter
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80:Pennsylvania
76:Philadelphia
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457:1784 deaths
452:1736 births
128:West Indies
97:, American
446:Categories
411:References
393:Coin World
296:2012-07-29
266:Beobachter
95:naturalist
190:into the
159:, and of
122:Biography
362:39855670
354:14831971
157:Delaware
87:American
82:) was a
161:Georgia
99:patriot
84:Genevan
63:French:
433:SIKART
399:20 May
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346:226659
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188:Quebec
177:Martha
72:Geneva
57:(born
358:S2CID
342:JSTOR
248:Notes
155:, of
401:2015
350:PMID
326:Isis
42:and
334:doi
220:'s
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