Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Ochs, John Ralph
OCHS or OCKS, JOHN RALPH (1704–1788), medallist, born in 1704, was the son of Johann Rudolph Ochs (1673–1749), who, born at Bern, adopted the profession of a seal-cutter, but afterwards gained reputation as an engraver of gems. He twice visited England, the second time in 1719. He was employed at the English mint, and died in London in 1749 (cf. Gent. Mag. 1749, p. 477; Fuessli, Allgemeines Künstler-Lexicon, s. v.; Seubert, Allgemeines Künstler-Lexicon).
John Ralph, the son, obtained employment as one of the engravers or assistant-engravers at the Royal Mint, London. His name first appears in Ruding's list of engravers at the mint (Annals of the Coinage, i. 45) in 1740–1741, and is subsequently mentioned together with the names of Yeo and the Tanners. He engraved the dies of the Maundy money of George III (first variety), 1763–1786. He died at Battersea in 1788, aged 84. Hawkins (Silver Coins, p. 416) states that he held a situation at the mint for seventy-two years, in which case he would have been first employed when he was only about twelve years old. Possibly some of the years of the mint employment of the father, Johann Rudolph Ochs, have been credited to the son, John Ralph Ochs.
[Ruding's Annals, i. 45; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists.]