This medal's obverse bears conjoined busts of Warner and Swasey facing left. Around edge, WORCESTER REED WARNER · AMBROSE SWASEY; to left of Warner, 1846 - / 1929; in exergue, 1880 · 1930; signed in exergue under truncation, V.D.BRENNER

The reverse bears large telescope in observatory with two men seated to left, one standing on raised platform at ocular, and one on tower at telescope mount. Around edge, THE WARNER & SWASEY CO. / CLEVELAND OHIO. U.S.A. / LICK TELESCOPE

The medal celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Warner & Swasey Company of Cleveland, Ohio. Warner and Swasey had worked together at Pratt & Whitney and cofounded their eponymous company in 1880 in Chicago. in 1881 they moved to Cleveland to be located closer to one of their major customers.

The company manufactured lathes and other metal working machines and existed as a subsidiary of Giddings & Lewis until 1992 when it was shut down. Before that it had been acquired by the Bendix Corporation in 1980, Cross & Trecker in 1984 and finally Giddings & Lewis in 1991.

This medal was issued several years after V.D. Brenner's death and is a reworking of a medal that Brenner designed ten years earlier to celebrate the company's 40th anniversary. The original design was modified by updating the anniversary date and by adding Warner's lifespan; he had died a year earlier.

The medal measures 64mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. The mintage is not reported.

References:   MACo 1930-018