Medals Related to New York City

References:   MACo 1936-027, Marqusee 411

The plaquette's obverse bears lovingly detailed, massive turbo generator before city skyline. Around cupola top, WORLD POWER CONFERENCE / 1936; across exergue, TURBO-GENERATOR-CAPACITY 160.000 K·W· 1936 / CONSOLIDATED EDISON COMPANY OF NEW YORK, INC·; signed above exergue at right, R. P. Chambellan Sc.

The reverse bears street view of Edison's first generator central station with laurel wreath at top left and tree at right. Across bottom, FIRST EDISON CENTRAL STATION - 1882 / 6 GENERATORS-TOTAL CAPACITY 1200 H·P·

The World Power Conference was conceived by the Scotsman Daniel Dunlop in 1923.  He organized the first meeting which took place in London in 1924 and attracted 1,700 attendees from 40 nations. It was deemed so successful that the conference was established as a recurring event.

In the beginning, the World Power Conference convened on a regular schedule every six years. The Third World Power Conference of 1936 met from September 7th to 12th in Washington, DC.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed the conference on September 11th and used a golden key to activate a small generator at the Builder Dam in Colorado.

In 1968 the name was changed to World Energy Conference and the conferences were scheduled every three years. In 1992 the group changed its name again and became known as the World Energy Council.

The year of 1936 also marked the rebranding of the New York Edison Company to Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. This is probably the reason that this handsome plaquette was issued on the occasion of the conference. From the humble beginnings of the first power plant on Pearl Street in 1882, the company would eventually grow into a behemoth with approximately $13 billion in annual revenue and $47 billion in assets by 2016.

This is a beautiful Machine Age gem by Chambellan. I admit that I am partial to detailed renditions of technology, but Chambellan masterfully combined the machinery in the foreground with a city skyline and subtle sun rays in the background.  The overall effect is pleasing and powerful at the same time.

The plaquette measures 114.4mm x 84.2mm and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1936-042

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Abraham Lincoln, full right.Around, FOR A FURTHER UNIFICATION OF THE PEOPLE; signed over left shoulder, KILENYI

The reverse bears view of entrance to the two tunnel pipes with cars entering and exiting, city skyline in background. In exergue, LINCOLN TUNNEL / DEDICATED 1937 / BUILT AND OWNED BY / THE PORT OF NEW YORK AUTHORITY

The medals were struck in bronze and sterling silver by the Robbins Company of Attleboro, Massachusetts. The mintage is 2,000 pieces in the large bronze size, 75 in sterling silver, and 10,000 in the small bronze size.  Unique foot-sized plaques and plasters are reported as well.

References:   Marqusee 221,222

The medal's obverse bears bust of Theobald Smith, r. Around, STUDENT OF DISEASE - THEOBALD SMITH; in bottom corners, 1859 - 1934; signed and dated at left, (HW c 39 monogram)

The reverse bears legend only. In circle, THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS - FOR MICROBIOLOGY; in center, NEW / YORK / 1939

Theobald Smith (1859-1934) was a pioneering epidemiologist and pathologist and is widely considered to be America's first internationally significant medical research scientist. In the year before his death, Smith was awarded the Royal Society's prestigious Copley Medal "For his original research and observation on diseases of animals and man."

The Third International Congress for Microbiology was held from September 2nd to September 9th 1939 in New York City.

The square medal measures 51.9mm x 51.9mm and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1939-016, Marqusee 395

References:   Marqusee 227

The uniface plaquette bears view of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower before dramtic clouds and sun rays. At upper right, (MLICO logo) / CONVENTION / 1941; signed at bottom right, CHAMBELLAN / SC

The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company was founded in 1893 by a group of New York City businessmen who raised $100,000 to found the National Union Life and Limb Insurance Company. The company insured Civil War sailors and soldiers against disabilities. On March 24, 1868, it became known as Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and shifted its focus to the life insurance business.

In 1915 the company completed the process of changing from a public stock company to a mutual company but in 2000 it went public again. During much of the 20th century, MetLife, as it is colloquially called, insured a significant percentage of American families.

The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower, colloquially known as the Met Life Tower, is a Manhattan landmark, built from 1907 to 1909 and located on Madison Avenue near the intersection with East 23rd Street, across from Madison Square Park. Designed by the architectural firm of Napoleon LeBrun & Sons and built by the Hedden Construction Company, the tower is modeled after the Campanile in Venice, Italy. Today, the tower houses the New York Edition Hotel, a 273-room luxury hotel that opened in 2015.

My plaquette came embedded in the lid of a handsome little wooden box, sometimes described as a "cigarette box," that was probably the give-away at the convention. I have not attempted to separate the plaquette from the box, which means I cannot weigh it or document the edge markings. If you have a loose plaquette, I'd appreciate if you could send me the missing information.

You might have noticed that the plaquette bears 1941 in its legend whereas I date it to 1940. I am merely following Dick Johnson's reference which favors the date indicated by the Medallic Art Company's numbering scheme.

The rectangular plaquette measures 93mm x 134mm and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1940-058-001

The reverse depicts Poland Exhibit bilding at World's Fair surrounded by two trees. In exergue, REPUBLIC OF POLAND / EXHIBITION / NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR / 1940

Ignace Jan Paderewski was one of the most famous pianists of his age and an inspiration to Polish nationals. In addition to being a world-renown pianist, he was also famous for his wit. One anecdote recounts how he was introduced to a polo player with the words:

"You are both leaders in your spheres though the spheres are very different."

He replied:

"Not so very different. You are a dear soul who plays polo, and I am a poor Pole who plays solo."

Kilenyi admired Paderewski and, when he was retained to design a medal symbolizing the friendship between the United States and Poland, he picked his likeness for the obverse. Because Paderewski was unable to sit for him and photos and drawings were not sufficient Kilenyi watched Moonlight Sonata, a movie featuring the famous pianist, to capture Paderewski's essence.

The uniface plaquette bears two female figures flanking a medal with trylon and sphere at top and award badge at bottom. Above, THE WORLD'S FAIR / OF 1940 IN NEW YORK; on badge, SPECIAL / AWARD / OF / MERIT

Julio Kilenyi designed the medals for the World's Fair and this plaque is very reminiscent of his works. Elaine Leotti, a researcher who studied the artists who worked for Whitehead & Hoag, attributed this plaquette to him but Harry Waterson, a dedicated Kilenyi specialist, thinks it unlikely.  I have decided to leave the medal unattributed for now, pending further feedback from the specialists.

The plaquette measures 63.5mm x 88.5mm and was struck in bronze by the Whitehead & Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey.