All Medals

Chambellan designed this medal for the Allegheny Ludlum Steel company that was formed in 1938 by the merger of the Allegheny Steel Company of Brackenridge, Pennsylvania and the Ludlum Steel Company of Watervliet, New York. In 1996 it became part of Allegheny Technologies. I found a newspaper reference to the medal being awarded in 1946, which dates it to the period between 1938 and 1946. Dick Johnson dates it to 1946.

The obverse bears a bare chested steel worker wearing insulated gloves wielding a long rod, with machinery in the background. Above, THE PRESIDENT'S MEDAL; signed CHAMBELLAN / SC. The reverse bears a branch and a star with the embedded letters A-L. Around, ALLEGHENY LUDLUM AWARD; dedication in center, TO HONOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AND OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT.

This bronze medal has a diameter of 98mm (3 7/8in). It was struck by the Medallic Art Company but it does not bear a maker's mark, maybe due to the chrome plating.

References:   MACo 1946-013

The medal's obverse shows Marshall Foch, facing left, above a wreath of laurels. Around, HOMAGE FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO THE VICTORIOUS COMMANDER; signed at lower left C.E.D

The reverse bears two female figures jointly holding wreath with inscribed FOCH; figure at left, symbolizing America, holds shield emblazoned with starts and stripes; figure at right, one breast bared, symbolizing France, holds shield with Massachusetts Native American. Above, IN GRATEFUL / SALUTATION; signed at bottom, NOV. 14 1921 C E Dallin

Marshall Foch (1851-1929) was the Allied Commander-in-Chief who led the French, British, American, and Italian forces to victory in World War I. In 1921 he visited the United States as a guest of the American Legion and received a hero's welcome at every station.

The circular medal was produced by the Gorham Company of Providence, Rhode Island.

The uniface medal bears crab as seen from above, pincer claws facing towards upper edge. Between claws, CANCER

Chambellan's Zodiac medals were issued more than a decade after his death and are probably based on designs he made in the early 1930s when he was working on the RKO Roxy Theater.  The 1960s saw renewed interest in astrology and the signs of the zodiac arising in part from the counter-cultural hippie movement and its subsequent adoption into mainstream culture.

Cancer i s the fourth astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Cancer. It spans 90° and 120° celestial longitude. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun transits this area on average between June 22 and July 22, and under the sidereal zodiac, the Sun transits this area between approximately July 16 and August 15.

In astrology, Cancer is the cardinal sign of the Water trigon, which is made up of Cancer, Pisces, and Scorpio. It is considered a negative sign, whose domicile, or ruling planet, is the Moon. Though some depictions of Cancer feature a lobster, the sign is most often represented by the crab, based on the Karkinos, a giant crab that harassed Heracles during his fight with the Hydra.

Interestingly, at least to numismatists who live and breathe medallic art, this zodiac medal does not have the MACO 1967 copyright that the other medals in the series sport somewhere on the obverse.

The circular medal measures 69.7mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1967-151-007

References:   BG 27

The obverse bears bust of Franklin, left. Around, BENJ. FRANKLIN NATUS BOSTON. XVII JAN. / MDCCVI; signed on truncation, DUPRE. F

The reverse bears nude winged genius, broken crown and scepter at his feet, lightning striking towards rotunda at left. Around, ERIPUIT COELO FULMEN - SCEPTRUM QUE TYRANNIS; in exergue, SCULPSIT ET DICAVIT / AUG. DUPRE ANNO / MDCCLXXXIV

The latin legend around the reverse can be translated to "He seized lightning from the heavens and the scepter from tyrants." The legend in the exergue translates to "Engraved and dedicated by Augustin Dupré in the year 1784"

Franklin had been sent to Paris in 1776 to negotiate an alliance with France and had quickly become a hugely popular figure. Adams and Bentley conclude that this medal was sponsored by a private friend (or group of friends) to honor him.

A second medal, also engraved by Dupré, was issued two years later. Both medals share the same obverse die and the same reverse inscription, but where the earlier medal features the winged genius on the reverse, the later one merely features an oak wreath. That later version was sponsored by Louis XVI.

As with many of the early American medals that were originally struck in France, there are numerous later restrikes.  I do not yet have the expertise to distinguish an early original from a later restrike. Maybe someone with the requisite experience can help out. If I'm correct, this medal is usually referred to as Betts-619.

The medal's obverse bears idealized forest scene with with doe nuzzling fawn on left side and owls perched on pine branch on right side. Signed at bottom, Eliscu

The reverse bears calendar panel flanked by owls with fawn above. At bottom, 1975

This was the very first medal issued by the Medallic Art Company in its annual calendar medal series. Interestingly, this medal's obverse was reused in 1991 for the seventeenth calendar medal in the series (this does not count the alternate medal in 1983).

The circular medal measures 76.1mm in diameter and was struck in what appears to be pewter or nickle silver.  I am sure it was also struck in bronze and probably in silver but I have not personally encountered those variants yet. Confirmation and physical characteristics of these variants would be welcome.

References:   MACo 1974-121, Cal MA-1975

References:   MACo 1971-013-007, WR 7

The medal's obverse bears logo of the Main Place organization. Around, THE PRINCIPALITY / OF MAIN PLACE

The reverse bears view of One Main Place in Dallas. Around, ONE MAIN PLACE / THE TEXAS BANK DALLAS

The circular medal measures 76.1mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1969-143

The medal's obverse bears Pan playing pipes over a skull. Around, INGENITA LEVITAS (levity is inborn); below, signature JC in a square. The reverse bears a man holding a mirror or mask. Around, ET ERUDITA VANITAS (and vanity is learned); below signature JC in a square.

In the 1980's Cook was slowly drifting towards darker subject matter and the skull on this medal is a precursor of things to come. By 1987 his FIDEM catalog entry stated that "his works represent an exploration into various images and manifestations of death."

In 1982 he was still transitioning and wrote in the medal's brochure:

"This brief couplet from Cicero's Pro Flacco presents a profound opposition of the dionysian and appollonian aspects of man's nature. Being deeply moved both by the wit and the simple beauty employed in the fusing together of thse diverse elements, I have tried in sculptural terms to achieve a like coupling."

This medal was chosen as the 105th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1982. It measures 73mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of Danbury, Connecticut. The reported mintage is 750 pieces in bronze.

References:   MACo 1930-001-150, SoM 105

The medal's obverse bears view of Pharos of Alexandria with its entrance guarded by two giant statues and a sailing vessel behind.

The reverse bears three calendar panels ornamented with sea shells and flanked by mermaids. At top of middle panel, 2000

The Pharos of Alexandria was named after the Nile delta island on which it was located, "Pharao's Island." It was a lighthouse that used a giant fire at night and bronze mirrors by day to signal the location of the entry to the Nile river. It is estimated that the signal was visible across a distance of 34 to 300 miles!

This is the third medal in a little calendar medal sub-series about the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World.

The circular medal measures 76.2mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company of Dayton, Nevada. No mintages are reported. The medals were originally available for $34.95 per bronze and $169 per silver piece.

References:   Cal MA-2000