All Medals

References:   MACo 1971-013-015, WR 15

References:   BG 34

References:   MACo 1960-055

References:   Baxter 241

The medal's obverse bears standing female in gap between two half-walls, left arm resting on wall, right arm holding painter's pallet.Around top, THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO

The reverse bears oak and laurel branches before view of Art Institute building. Around top, THE NORMAN WAIT HARRIS PRIZE; across center, AWARDED TO / CLIFFORD ADDAMS / 1926; signed at bottom, V·D·Brenner Sc.

The medal was awarded for best painting by an American artist. This medal's recipient, Clifford Addams (1876-1942), was an American painter and printmaker who studied at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts, where he won the coveted Cresson Scholarship to study abroad. He went to France where he became a student of James McNeill Whistler and married fellow artist Inez Bate. He volunteered for service in the Royal Navy during World War I and returned to the U.S.in 1920. He became a prominent etcher and practiced his art in New York City.  He died in his studio in Greenwich Village in 1942.

The medal's obverse bears a striking resemblance in design to Hermon A. MacNeil's Standing Liberty quarter of 1916. It has been speculated that this medal inspired MacNeill's design.

The circular medal measures 70mm in diameter and was struck in silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   Baxter 138, MACo 1909-002

The medal's obverse bears a fish, a schooner under full sail and a sea gull in flight. Around edge, GLOUCESTER MASSACHUSETTS; signed under fish, G. Aarons 1973

The medal's reverse bears painter's palette with brushes, writer's book, and sculptor's mallet. Around top, 350TH ANNIVERSARY; at bottom, 1623 - 1973

Gloucester is a coastal city on Cape Ann in Essex County, Massachusetts. That beautiful part of Massachusetts has traditionally attracted artists who had their summer studios there or lived there year round. Aarons was no exception to this trend. For many years he had studios in Brookline and Gloucester and, as a long-time resident, was honored with the task of creating the commemorative town medal that combines the coastal and artistic elements of the community.

The medal measures 38.1mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company.

Many thanks to Fred Beihl (www.StewartstownCoinShop.com, 717-993-3163) who sent me the images and measurements.

References:   MACo 1972-099

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 a nude male figure, maybe Hercules, wrestling a powerful steer by the horns.

The medal's reverse bears perched eagle before diminuitive buildings.  Across lower half, ALLEN GEWALTEN ZUM / TRUTZ SICH ERHALTEN / NIMMER SICH BEUGEN / KRÄFTIG SICH ZEIGEN / RUFET DIE ARME / DER GOETTER / HERBEI; signed above exergue, R BOSSELT

The poem on the reverse is the second verse of Goethe's "Cowardly Thoughts." While the first verse lists negative behaviors resulting in disaster, the second verse provides positive patterns.  It translates roughly to:

To persist, despite all powers arrayed against you,
to never bow down,
to always show strength,
will raise the arms of the gods on your behalf.

This is a beautiful and relatively rare medal.  The interplay between the dark patina and the modeling of the muscles gives the medal an unusual depth. The medal was used as an award by the German section at the International Exhibition in Brussels in 1910.  Bosselt seemed to be en vogue at that time.  His Athena graced the reverse of the American Numismatic Society's medal in the same year.

The circular medal measures 65mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Carl Poellath Company of Schrobenhausen, Germany.

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.