All Medals

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 obverse bears running locomotive with figure of Mercury flying overhead and carrying tray with fruit and bottle; sun rays with date "1930" in background; bolts of lightning emerging from train wheels; all within beaded border; surrounding legend SOUTHERN RAILWAY SYSTEM CENTENNIAL / South Carolina 1830 Virginia 1831 Alabama 1832.

The reverse bears cornucopia at center with legend COTTON CORN TOBACCO; all within beaded border; surrounding legend A CENTURY OF SERVICE CARRYING TO MARKET THE FRUITS OF THE EARTH.

This is one of the iconic American medals and is a part of many museum collections, including the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

The medal is struck in bronze and measures 89mm (3 1/2in) in diameter.

References:   MACo 1930-017

The medallion bears portrait of Betty Holter facing left. Around top, · BETTY · HOLTER · ; signed and dated under truncation, · P · M · 1919 ·

It is not entirely certain who the subject for this medal was.  The mostl ikely candidate is Betty Holter, who wrote for The English Weekly and corresponded with the Bloomsbury group of English artists and writers during the years between World War I and II.

The circular medallion measures 102.4mm in diameter and was cast in bronze. It is not known how many pieces were produced.

References:   Murtha 119

The uniface medallion bears flag with Goodyear logo. From large number at left, around top, 45 - YEARS OF FRIENDLY RELATIONS; under waving flag, incuse, WHATEVER IS BEST / FOR THE CONSUMER / IS BEST FOR THE / DEALER AND THE / MANUFACTURER

This is the 45 year version of Rene Chambellan's Goodyear series of medallions. All of these medallions came mounted to a wooden board to be hung in offices or shops that were selling Goodyear product.

Dick Johnson's reference does not list this medallion under Chambellan, in fact it does not have a reference to it at all. Like all other Goodyear medallions, this one also is not edge-marked, so both the attribution to Chambellan and to the Medallic Art Company are a bit tenuous.  A query to the Goodyear Company has remained unanswered so far.  I'll keep it with the artist and mint attributions until someone with better information can correct the record.

The circular medallion measures 100.8mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1928-026

The obverse bears bust of Hyde facing right. Around top, · JAMES · H · HYDE ·; to left, JUNE 6 / 1876; at bottom, · 1948 ·; signed under truncation, PAUL MANSHIP · SCULP

The reverse bears four heads representing the The Four Continents: Minerva in Grecian helmet, Balinese dancer in crown, American Indian with feathered Mohawk, African head with stacked neck rings inspired by the Ife Bronzes; boldly beaded border around heads.

The edge is marked MEDALLIC ART CO. N.Y. BRONZE

James Hazen Hyde (1876-1959) was at the center of the first great Wall Street scandal when opponents including such notables as J.P. Morgan, E.H. Harriman and Henry Clay Frick tried to remove him from control of The Equitable, the company his father had founded. While the public smear campaign against him was largely based on untruths, it caused him great social troubles. He eventually divested himself of his businesses and left the United States for Paris to focus on other interests.

One of his great passions was history. He assembled what is probably the most comprehensive and diversified collection of decorative art objects, tapestries, prints and drawings tracing the theme of the Allegory of the Four Parts of the World (or the Four Continents) from the mid-sixteenth to the late nineteenth century. While the collection was divided up among several museums, the bulk of it remains in New York and resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York Historical Society, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, and the Brooklyn Museum of Art.

Many thanks to a collector who wishes to remain anonymous for sending me the images.

The medallion measures 89.3mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1948-029

References:   ANS 4

The medal's obverse bears bust of Marcellus M. Murdock, quarter right. Around top, MARCELLUS M. MURDOCK; below, 68 YEAS OF SERVICE ··· 1898 - 1966

The reverse bears eagle holding two papers labeled BEACON and EAGLE in talons; symbols representing Kansas' industriousness and Murdock's interests around: oil wells, planes, trains, cow, family, church. Below, Wichita Eagle & Beacon / FOUNDED 1872

As a boy Marcellus M. Murdock (1883-1970) worked in the plant of the Wichita Eagle, the newspaper founded by his father, Col. Marshall Murdock, in 1872. After his 1902 graduation from Wichita High School Marcellus began his professional career in his father's newspaper business. He worked as a reporter and editor before becoming publisher in 1906. His award winning career in the newspaper business lasted more than sixty years. Murdock was a successful businessman in other ventures as well as an accomplished pilot. He first learned to fly at the age of forty-six in 1929 and continued his hobby well into his seventies.

The circular medal measures 89.6mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1966-038

The medal's obverse bears a family scene consisting of father with maiden on his knee and mother holding an infant son in her lap. Above, small I.K.1910 followed by larger "FELICITAS DOMI FOCIQVE"

The reverse bears female in flowing chiton holding a branch, blessing a humble cottage. Above, "THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME"; signed "I KONTI SC"

In the accompanying book de Kay referred to the scene as

"a father telling some tale to the eager maiden who leans against his knee, the mother listening as she contemplates the little son in her lap..."

He further commented:

"In all ages the family as a unit of happiness and harmony has had its enemies, chiefly men and women who have made a failure of their own domestic lives. But at present the attacks are more hidden and herefore more insidious than ever before... the rage for movement and travel adds to a widespread discontent with the uneventful calm of the home. Massing of populations in towns makes domestic life difficult, while general unrest and dissatisfaction continue to increase, along with a wealth of comforts and luxuries unknown before."

He was also deeply troubled by the women's suffrage movement and the challenge it posed to the "relative position of the sexes" but concluded:

"Members of the Circle who hold one opinion or another will be likely to agree that family affection and the love of the home are worthy of a medal in the projected series."

The circular medallion measures 70mm in diameter and was struck both by the nascent Medallic Art Company and Jos. K. Davidson of Philadelphia. No mintages are reported.

References:   Baxter 307, CoF 2, Marqusee 231