Medals by Organization or Group

References:   HSoNY 1918

The medal's obverse bears female kneeling in field with her hands in the earth, spatula stuckin ground next to her; column of soldiers marching from left to right in background. Across, UNITES / STATES - OF / AMERICA

The medal's reverse bears full basket of vegetables with carrot and pumpkins lying next to it. Around top, NATIONAL · WAR · GARDEN · COMMISSION; in extergue, crossed rifle and hoe; across, THE SEEDS OF VICTORY / INSURE THE FRUITS OF PEACE / 1914 - 1919; signed at lower right, TIFFANY Co

War Gardens were the brain child of Charles Lathrop Pack. He came up with the idea in March 1917 (before the US entered the war) to increase the food supply without increasing the “use of land already cultivated, of labor already engaged in agricultural work, of time devoted to other necessary occupations, and of transportation facilities which were already inadequate to the demands made upon them.”

He organized the National War Garden Commission which included among its members Luther Burbank, representatives of several major universities, and the president of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. The commission publicized the gardens with pamphlets, printed material for newspaper distribution, and colorful, propagandist posters.

The circular medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by Tiffany & Co. of New York.

Many thanks to Ben Burnham for granting me permission to use the images from his eBay store.

The medal's obverse bears three figures facing left, nude winged male in center, holding laurel crowns in both hands, flanked by women wearing toga-like dresses; woman at right holding what appears to be an apple. Signed with artists (EZ monogram) on small shield at lower left.

The reverse bears legend only. In center field within decorative border, THE / MR AND MRS / FRANK G LOGAN / MEDAL / AWARDED TO / CHARLES LOCKE / 1935; around, THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO

Charles Wheeler Locke (1899-1983) was a painter, lithographer, illustrator and teacher.  He was born in Cincinatti, Ohio on August 31, 1899. He studied at the Cincinatti Art Academy and the New York Art Students' League with Joseph Pennell. He was a teacher at the Art Students' League when he won this award.

The medal is a beautiful example of late art nouveau, early art deco design. In my opinion, Zettler's medallic works are easily on a par with the works of the best French and American artists of the period.

The circular medal measures 75mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1919-002

The medal's obverse bears nurse bent over hospital bed with soldier, table with plant and window in background. In exergue, Au service de la Souffrance; signed in bottom right cotner, G. DEVREESE.

The reverse bears enameled red cross shield over laurel branches.  Around top, CROIX ROUGE DE BELGIQUE; across, EN SOUVENIR / DES SERVICES RENDUS / AU COURS DE LA GUERRE / 1914 - 1919

The medal measures 63.6mm x 69mm and was struck in bronze by the Jules Fonson mint. No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears conjoined busts of Marie Depage and Edith Clavell, facing left, with laurel branch behind them. Around, MARIE DEPAGE - EDITH CAVELL; signed on truncation, A BONNETAIN / 1919

The reverse bears legend only, 1915 / REMEMBER

Marie Depage and Edith Cavell were heroines of World War I on the Allied side. Marie Depage was the wife of the prominent doctor Antoine Depage, who was a surgeon to the Belgian King.  In 1907 she founded a laicised non-denominational medical institute in 1907, the Berkendael Medical Institute (also known as L'École Belge d’Infirmières Diplômées), in Uccle near Brussels, with British Edith Cavell as head nurse.

Depage travelled to the US in January 1915 to raise funds for the L'Océan hospital. After raising $100,000 in a few weeks, she received news that her middle son Lucien would be joining her eldest son Pierre at the front, and decided to return to Belgium. She booked passage on the RMS Lusitania, leaving New York on 1 May 1915 for Liverpool via Queenstown in the south of Ireland. The ship was torpedoed by German submarine U-20 at about 2:10 pm on 7 May 1915, and rapidly sank. Depage assisted other passengers to board lifeboats, and treated some injured on the deck of the sinking vessel. As the ship sank, she became entangled in ropes and drowned, one of nearly 1,200 killed from almost 2,000 aboard.

Edith Cavell continued to work at the Berkendael Medical Institute, where she helped hundreds of allied soldiers escape.  Her humanitarian actions, which she freely confessed after her arrest, rendered the normal protections accorded to medical personnel void. She was court-martialed, sentenced to death for treason and, despite international pleas for mercy, executed by firing squad.

Both women were celebrated as martyrs and heroines and monuments as well as medals commemorate their lives and deaths.

The circular medal measures 58mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by Jules Fonson and Company. No mintage is reported.

The obverse bears angel of peace (or victory) in center, U.S. infantrymen to left, navy gunner to right. Signed at lower right, S.

The reverse bears heraldic symbols of the victorios Entente nations above Gridiron Club symbol. Below, THIRTY - FOURTH / ANNUAL PEACE DINNER / THE GRIDIRON CLUB / WASHINGTON D.C. / DEC. 13. 1919.

The Gridiron Club, founded in 1885, is the oldest journalistic organization in Washington, D.C. The club is best known for its annual dinner which traditionally features the United States Marine Band, along with satirical musical skits by the members and remarks by the President of the United States and representatives of each political party. The skits and speeches by various politicians are expected to be self-deprecating or otherwise sharply comedic. Since its inception, every President except Grover Cleveland has spoken at the dinner.

The thirtyfourth annual dinner held on December 13, 1919 was called the "Peace Dinner" to celebrate the end of World War I and the beginning of a long lasting peace after "the war to end all wars" had come to an end. Woodrow Wilson used his speech to thank the nation for its efforts and to chart out the future of international relations.

The medal measures 70mm in diameter and was struck by the U.S. Mint.

The medal's obverse bears male figure at right, seated on bench, chin resting on his hand, looking pensively at city's skyline to his left; painter's tools at his feet. Around top right, ARCHITECV-RAL; in exergue, · LEAGUE · ; on bench, N.Y.

The reverse bears female figure, r., holding victor's laurels in outstretched hand and palm fronds in other. Signed at bottom right, H.A. MacNeil / FECIT

The circular medal was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   Baxter 351, MACo 1920-012

The medal's obverse bears female figure holding star-emblazoned  American Legion shield, facing torch-bearing girl. Around, (star) (star) (star) HONOR (star) SCHOLARSHIP (star) SERVICE (star) (star) (star) / AMERIANISM (star) LEADERSHIP (star) COURAGE

The reverse bears American Eagle in flight over American flag and award panel. On panel, AWARDED TO / HENRIETTA RENKER / BY / A L A UNIT No 344 / JULY 22 1929; around, (star) (star) AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY (star) DEPT. OF PENNA (star) (star) / SCHOOL AWARD

The circular medal measures 50.5mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears female figure guiding a child holding architectural model onward. Across, SCHOOL - ART / LEAGUE - OF / NEW · YORK - CITY; in exergue, FOR · MERIT

The reverse bears a tree or shoot with three branches at top and some new growth at bottom. Across, ART · IN · TRADES / CLUB - MEDAL / AWARD-ED · TO / (inscribed) FRANCES McKENNA; at top, incribed 1926; signed at bottom, G. CECERE

This medal is also called the "Art in Trades Club Medal," after the inscription on the reverse. The circular medal measures 66.5mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island.

References:   Marqusee 106