All Medals

The medal's obverse bears dog's head facing left, surrounded by heavy grass or fur border. To top and left, WESTMINSTER / KENNEL / CLUB / BENCH SHOW

The reverse bears palm frond and laurel sprig. Across, AWARDED / TO / ALTHEA FARM KENNELS / CH. NORA OF SIONHILL / BEST / WHIPPET / 1930

The circular medal measures 49.6mm in diameter and was struck in sterling silver by Dieges & Clust of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   Marqusee 219,220

The medal's obverse bears portrait of William Fahnestock. Around top, · FAHNESTOCK · & · CO · ; To left, WILLIAM / FAHNESTOCK / FOUNDER; to right, 1881 / 1931; signed above right shoulder, (JSR monogram)

The medal's reverse bears a beautifully detailed street scene of New York's Wall Street. To left, WALL / STREET; to right, 1881; signed at bottom, (JSR monogram)

William Fahnestock (1858-1936) beccame the youngest member of the New York Stock exchange at age 23. A year later, he opened the doors to Fahnestock & Co with his father, Harris C. Fahnestock, at 2 Wall Street. After a series of consolidations and mergers, the firm is now part of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc.

The circular medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1931-001, Marqusee 355

This medal's obverse bears worker about to strike snake on anvil with sledge hammer; mobile 8-inch army rifle on reinforced railroad car chassis in the background. Around, PRESENTED BY THE AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY; below, 1917-1918.

The reverse bears Columbia walking l. with palm frond; Statue of Liberty and sun in distance. On left, FOR SERVICE FAITHFULLY RENDERED; lower right, CB - JK.

The medal was presented to the company's employees for their faithful service during World War I. Accompanying the medal was a card containing the following message from William H. Woodlin, the President of the American Car and Foundry Company:

"The enclosed honor medal is awarded as an evidence of the appreciation by this Company of the work by you on its munition contracts, and as a lasting testimonial of the service rendered by you as an industrial soldier in the winning of the great war."

The signature CB - JK inidicates that the medal was a collaboration between Beach and Kilenyi (maybe design and sculpture) but I did not manage to find any evidence supporting the nature of their collaboration. Harry Waterson believes that Beach designed the medal and Kilenyi executed the bas-reliefs. His evidence is that there are design drawings and, according to him, "Beach could draw, Kilenyi couldn't."

This medal measures 63.5mm in diameter and was struck in bronze, silver, and 14k gold by the Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, RI. The silver variant is quite rare and the gold exceedingly rare but no mintages are reported.

According to a book about the company, a combined total of 7,500 pieces in all metals is believed to have been struck.

References:   Marqusee 52

The obverse bears bearded portrait of Griswold as Hagen, l., holding a spear. Signed and dated at lower right, © W. D. Paddock 1912

The reverse bears a phrase of music over a wreath. Around, DEBUT · HAGEN - 1912 · / · PUTNAM GRISWOLD ·

Putnam Griswold (1875-1914) was an American opera singer.  Born in Minneapolis, he pursued a business career before discovering his voice at the age of 22. He studied in London, Paris, and Germany and became a regular member of the Berlin Opera. In 1911 he returned to America to sing at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where his Wagner interpretations won over public and critics alike. He died suddenly of appendicitis in 1914, cutting short a stellar operatic career.

The medal was cast by the Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island. No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears bearded face. Around top, NORGE 1977

The medal's reverse bears a flat fish. 

This is the only medal knwon to have been created by Reidar.  His mother was born in Northern Norway, so thatm ay have influenced his choice of country.  A man who wore an impressive beard himself, he liked bearded and moustached men and even wrote poems to the "Grey bearded men of Russia."  The face on the medal obverse could be a self-portrait of a portrayal of an iconic figure.  It is possible that the fish on the reverse symbolizes something about Reidar, although exactly what remains a mystery. 

The roughly circular medal measures 70mm in diameter and was struck at Kultateollisuus Finland.

References:   NorA NO-1977

References:   MACo 1929-063

The obverse bears a bust (l.) of Richard Byrd wearing aviator's goggles emerging from a bank of clouds. Across, COMMEMORATING THE CONQUEST OF THE POLES / BY REAR ADMIRAL RICHARD E. BYRD / AND HIS ASSOCIATES / PRESENTED BY / THE AERONAUTICAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF AMERICA; along bottom edge, MAY 9 1926 - NOVEMBER 29 1929.

The reverse bears eagle perched on airborne Ford tri-motor; polar scene below, Signed at bottom right, KILENYI.

The bronze medal measures 82.4mm (3.25") in diameter and was struck by Whitehead & Hoag. During the presentation banquet one gold medal was given to Admiral Byrd, his associates received silver medals, and all other guests received bronze medals. The mintage is 1,000 pieces in bronze, 65 in silver-plate and 1 in 10kt gold. 

According to Harry Waterson, the undisputed Kilenyi specialist, a piece in sterling silver might exist. It might be that an initial production run or a sample piece was struck in sterling silver but then, due to the Great Depression, subsequent pieces were struck in much less cheaper silver-plated base metal.  Any updates on this question would be highly welcome.

References:   Marqusee 217

References:   MACo 1947-023