All Medals

The obverse bears the old NBC logo crisscrossed in the center; double lightning bolts extending from all corners of the cross. On left and right of lightning bolts above, 19 / 26; on left and right of lighning bolts below, 19 / 36.

The reverse bears text only. Around, NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY * A RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA SERVICE * ; in center field, TENTH ANNIVERSARY / TO THOSE WHO HAVE SHARED WITH US / IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF BROADCASTING.

The medal commemorates the tenth anniversary of the National Broadcasting Company which was founded in 1926. It was distributed to its employees in 1936.

From Chris Bach, whom I owe big thanks for information about art medals, I learned the following:

This scarce Art Deco medal has long been "unsigned" in various auctions with no artist or sculptor identified or credited with the design. However, the Cleveland Museum of Art credits the medal as being a collaboration of three people: "modeled by Julio Kilenyi (American, b. 1885); obverse designed by Richard A Loederer (American, b. 1894) and the reverse designed by E.P.H. James (American)" - a gift to the museum's collection by the National Broadcasting Company in 1937 (No. 1937.9.A/B). A specimen at the New York Historical Society in NYC also credits Julio Kilenyi; and the Library of Congress collection identifies a similar item designed by Loederer in their NBC History Files: 1922-1986, Folder 173, Logos, "Photo of tenth anniversary (1936) plaque designed by Richard Loederer of Vienna."

I have only ever seen a bronze variant once.  It is usually the silver-plated variant that comes up for sale.

This medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver plated bronze by the Robbins Company of Attleboro, Massachusetts.

The medal's obverse bears view of Connecticut building at the Sesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia.Around top, CONNECTICUT STATE BUILDING; in exergue, SESQUI-CENTENNIAL / PHILADELPHIA / 1776 (bell) 1926

The reverse bears statue of Nathan Hale at left, decorated shield with Connecticut coat of arms at top right. Across, "I ONLY REGRET THAT I HAVE / BUT ONE LIFE TO LOSE FOR / MY COUNTRY" / NATHAN HALE / PATRIOT-MARTYR / CONNECTICUT / 1755 / 1776; at left edge,in tiny letters, WHITEHEAD-HOAG

Nathan Hale (1755-1776) was an American soldier and spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission in New York City but was captured by the British and executed. Hale has long been considered an American hero and, in 1985, he was officially designated the state hero of Connecticut.

The circular medal measures 28.8mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and sterling silver by the Whitehead-Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey.  No mintage is reported.

Many thanks to the staff of the Yale University Art Gallery's Numismatics Department for their support and assistance in making this medal available to me for research.

References:   HK 456

The medal's obverse bears a rendering of the Thompson Trophy with a figure of Icarus at center, surrounded by ten stars with two single engine planes flying across from left to right. Around,on a raised band, a 2 line legend detailing the names of the trophy winners through 1941. Rx: At top are the company logos and below an inscription: DOUG / DAVIS - SPEED / HOLMAN - LOWELL / BAYLES - JIMMIE / DOOLITTLE - JIMMIE / WEDELL - ROSCOE / TURNER - HAROLD / NEUMANN - MICHEL / DETROYAT - RUDY / KLING - THE / THOMPSON / THROPHY.

The reverse bears corporate logos of Thompson Products and Thompson Aircraft Products Companies over oak branch; at bottom, aircraft parts.  Across, COMMEMORATING / THE DEDICATION OF THE PLANT OF/THOMPSON AIRCRAFT PRODUCTS COMPANY, EUCLID OHIO, / SUBSIDIARY OF/ THOMPSON PRODUCTS, INC. / CLEVELAND, - OHIO, / U·S·A; around bottom, A.D. - 1941.

The Thompson Trophy came about when a volunteer at the first National Air Races in 1929 approached Mr. Lee Clegg of the Thompson Products to see whether he might sponsor an award. Clegg was amenable to the idea and purchased a trophy for the sum of $25 plus $10 for the engraving.  After the races were a smashing success, Clegg suggested that the National Aeronautic Association authorize a permanent Thompson Trophy and that was done. A committee of judges then chose Walter Sinz's design which is depicted on the medal's obverse.

The trophy was awarded 11 times before 1941 but Roscoe Turner won it three times.

The circular medal measures 89mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. Neither artist nor mintage are reported and any additional information would be highly welcome.

The obverse bears kneeling mother with child cowering before Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in sky above; serpent-like gas mask at her knee, castle and ancient ruin in background. In exergue, THE OLD WORLD / 1939; in lower field, E. McCARTAN / ©

The reverse bears mother in 1930s dress with book and child, basket of flowers by her knee, skyscrapers left, forst right, under radiant sun. In exergue, THE NEW WORLD / 1939

At the time this medal was being designed the situation on the European continent had deteriorated so much that all-out war seemed likely. America seemed far-removed from the insecurities and problems that the old world was facing. Americans looked over the Atlantic and were very much disinclined to get involved in yet another Great War. As McCartan wrote in his "From the Artist":

"The broad Atlantic Ocean thankfully isolates is from forces which destroy life and liberty and which impede the normal pursuit of happiness."

Of course, it did not turn out quite the way McCartan and many fellow Americans had hoped. America officially entered World War II in 1941 after already having provided substantial material assistance to its European Allies.

This medal was chosen as the 19th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1939. It measures 73mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported production quantity of this medal is 943 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-019, Marqusee 259, SoM 19

The obverse bears a winged female figure representing Victory striding forward to the left, holding a sword wrapped in a palm leaf; a radiant sun in the background. Around: VIXIT - VIVIT - VIVET (Lived, Conquered, Shall Live).

The reverse bears a scroll with fasces behind at center, inscribed: IN MEMORY/ OF ONE WHO/ DIED IN THE/ CAUSE OF/ FREEDOM AND/ HUMANITY. Above, an eagle holding a laurel wreath perches atop the end of a cannon and ball. Around: PRESENTED BY THE CITY OF DETROIT - 1919.

The Society of Arts and Crafts, Detroit, issued memorial medals in 1919 that were given by the City of Detroit to the families of men who lost their lives in the Great War.

An earlier version of this medal, with a less evolved obverse design, is in the Smithsonian Art Museum Collection.

The circular medal measures 70mm in diameter. The Medallic Art Company of New York struck 900 pieces in bronze.

References:   MACo 1919-011

The uniface medallion bears barefoot tapper, facing left, harvesting latex from cut rubber tree. From large number at lower left, running around top, 20 - YEARS OF FRIENDLY RELATIONS; to right of tapper, FIRST / GOODYEAR / RUBBER / PLANTATION / 1916; signed between tapper's feed, (RC monogram)

Rubber tapping is the process by which latex is collected from a rubber tree. The latex is harvested by slicing a groove into the bark of the tree at a depth of a quarter inch with a hooked knife and peeling back the bark. Trees must be approximately six years old and six inches in diameter in order to be tapped for latex. Each night a rubber tapper must remove a thin layer of bark along a downward half spiral on the tree trunk. If done carefully and with skill, this tapping panel will yield latex for up to five hours. Then the opposite side will be tapped, allowing this side to heal over. The spiral allows the latex to run down to a collecting cup. The work is done at night or in the early morning before the day's temperature rises, so the latex will drip longer before coagulating and sealing the cut.

Charles Goodyear is usually credited with the modern discovery of vulcanization of rubber, though Thomas Hancock of Boston received a patent for vulcanized rubber 8 weeks before Goodyear did and the two were in bitter litigation at one point. Though losing the patent suit he had brought in England, he prevailed as a business man. In 1860 he traveled to New York to see his dying daughter but upon finding that he had arrived too late he collapsed and died shortly thereafter. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded by Frank Seiberling almost four decaades after his death.

This is the 20 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.

The circular medallion measures 108mm and is struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1948-041-x

References:   Cal HM-2000

References:   BG 39

The medal's obverse bears glass and hand in the center, flanked by the company's headquarters in 1842 and the company's contemporary headquarters. Over buildings, 1842 / 1942; around, OUR HAND HAS NEVER / LOST ITS SKILL; at lower right, signed R. CHAMBELLAN SC.

The medal's reverse bears border of hops and grain around center field with inscription: TO / COMMEMORATE / OUR 100TH YEAR / THE F.&M. SCHAEFER / BREWING CO. / AMERICA'S OLDEST LAGER BEER.

The F.&M. Schaefer Brewery is the longest operating brewery in New York City, the last operating brewery in New York City [as of 1976], and America's oldest lager beer brewing company - all these honors, plus many others, belong to the F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Company.

"F. & M." stands for Frederick and Maximilian, the brothers who founded Schaefer. Frederick Schaefer, a native of Wetzlar, Prussia, Germany, emigrated to the U.S. in 1838. When he arrived in New York City on October 23rd he was 21 years old and had exactly $1.00 to his name. There is some doubt as to whether or not he had been a practicing brewer in Germany, but there is no doubt that he was soon a practicing brewer in his adopted city. Within two weeks of his landing, Frederick took a job with Sebastian Sommers, who operated a small brewhouse on Broadway, between 18th and 19th Streets. Frederick obviously enjoyed both his job and life in America, and the next year his younger brother, Maximilian, decided to make the arduous trip across the Atlantic also. He arrived in June of 1839 and brought with him a formula for lager, a type of beer popular in Germany but unheard of in the United States. The brothers dreamed, and planned, and saved - and in the late summer of 1842 they were able to buy the small brewery from Sommers. The official, and historic, starting date was September, 1842.

In 1981, the F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Company was purchased by the Stroh Brewery Company. In 1999, the Stroh Brewery Company was in turn bought by the Pabst Brewing Company which continues to sell Schaefer Beer today.

This medal measures 76mm (3in) in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1941-046