Barry the St. Bernard Commemorative Plate
This wonderful plate is best described by Bessie M. Lindsey in her book: American Historical Glass .
"A circular plate honors the work of St. Bernard dogs. The St. Bernard won his name and his fame in the Swiss Alps. The Great St. Bernard Pass is a road across the main chain of the Alps. At the highest point of the pass, nearly 8,000 feet above sea level, near the line of perpetual snow, is the monastery, or hospice, of St. Bernard, the highest dwelling in Europe. This hospice was founded by St. Bernard of Menthon, in 982, for the relief of travelers crossing the mountains. The monks of this hospice use the celebrated St. Bernard dogs to assist them in saving the lives of travelers lost in the snow. For more than 900 years the dogs have daily patroled paths and trails. Usually they have worked in pairs, one with a cloak and the other with a two quart cask of brandy fastened around the neck. More recently they work alone. Their keen scent makes it possible for them to find those lost even when covered with snow.
One of those dogs, named Barry, saved the lives of forty people and was killed by the forty-first who mistook him for a wolf. Probably this plate was intended to honor Barry, the famous St. Bernard dog.
A scene in the center of the plate shows mountain crags, the highway of the Pass, and the ST. Bernard hospice. In the foreground, a St. Bernard dog has a coat strapped around its body and a cask fastened about its neck. Two eagles circle the crags...."
- Size: 10" diameter
- Condition: exceptional condition - just some light scratches on the top of the plate and a fleabite on 1 scallop
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