All Medals

The medal bears seated female figure, r., with rearing Pegasus behind her. At her feet, FOR / MERIT; signed around top right, · U · ELLERHUSEN

This design was used for the obverse of many art awards and probably goes back to the early 1920's.  The first medal documented by Dick Johnson that bears this motif is dated 1924.

The circular medal measures 88.8mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1936-026

The obverse bears polar bear on floe, flying snow geese behind. In upper field, ARCTIC; around, * GREELY * BARTLETT * PEARY * BYRD *

The reverse bears group of four penguins on ice. Around, * PALMER * WILKES * BYRD * ELLSWORTH *; below, ANTARCTIC / E.F.S / ©

Springweiler described his thoughts in the brochure accompanying the medal:

"In creating this medal I was thinking of another world, a silent and cruel one, the regions around the poles of our globe, the endless icewastes, the land of midnight sun."

While stressing the barren and cruel nature of the polar reaches, he praised the men who had set out to explore them and commemorated their names on the medal.

This medal was chosen as the 24th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1941. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company. Its mintage is reported to be 999 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-024, Marqusee 369, SoM 24

The obverse bears "High Iron" workers on a steel beam dangling from a crane. To left, RIGGERS; on steel beam circled MY monogram.

The reverse bears two steel workers riveting a vertical beam while a third heats the rivets. Below, RIVETERS, signed MAHONRI YOUNG / ©.

Young had been sketching and modeling laborers and workers since his early days in Paris. The unsentimental depiction of manual labor was one of his passions, so it should not have surprised anyone that he chose constructions workers as the subject of his Society of Medalists contribution. He modeled no fewer than three designs for selection by the committee.He had observed the transformation of New York from old brownstone houses to skyscrapers when he lived in New York City in 1912.

This medal was chosen as the 30th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1944. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its reported production quantity is 713 pieces in bronze.

References:   MACo 1930-001-030, Marqusee 413,414, SoM 30

The medal's obverse bears nude male figure holding lyre at left and seated female figure with baby girl at her breast to his right,. Around, · AMORIS ·  - · TRIUMPHUS · - · MCMXIII ·; all within boldly beaded border.

The reverse bears stork within boldly beaded border. Around top, · IN · LOVE · ; under body of stork, · IS-AB-EL ·  & · / · P-AUL · MA-NSHIP · / · DEC · 22 ·

This medal celebrates the birth of Paul's first child, Pauline Frances Manship.  She was born just before Christmas in 1913 and, between the holidays and a newly born child, Manship waited a few days before he created this medal. According to Murtha, it dates to 1914.

The circular medal measures 74.6mm in diameter and was cast in bronze.  It is not known how many pieces were cast.

References:   Murtha 33

The medal's obverse bears standing Columbia with cornucopia in her arm, her cloak fluttering dramatically behind her; at her feet, winged cherub bearing sign labeled INDUSTRY; winged wheel at lower left; exposition building in background. Around upper left, ATLANTA - GEORGIA / U-S-A; signed around lower right, PH MARTINY - SC · NY ·

The reverse bears eagle at top, palm frond at left and cotton branch at right. Across, COTTON STATES / AND INTERNATIONAL / EXPOSITION / AWARDED TO / (cartouche engraved I. V. Joyce) / ATLANTA / GEORGIA / U · S · A / MDCCCXCV

The Cotton States and International Exposition of 1895 was held at the in Atlanta, Georgia. Nearly 800,000 visitors attended the event. The exposition was designed to promote the region to the world and showcase products and new technologies as well as to encourage trade with Latin America.

This is probably one of my all-time favorite exposition medals. It is modeled in extremely deep relief and is a masterpiece of Beaux-Arts design.

The circular medal measures 57.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island. 

References:   Baxter 92, Marqusee 258

The medal's obverse bears

The reverse bears

This is the fourth annual membership medal issued by the Medal Collectors of America.

The circular medal measures 63.6mm in diameter and was struck in silver and bronze. The mintage is reported as 36 pieces in bronze and 28 pieces in silver.

References:   MACo 1926-016, Marqusee 198

The medal's obverse bears barefoot, aproned metalworker, holding chasing hammer and graver, kneeling on dais in dynamic pose, facing right; anvil to his left. Around top, THE ROBBINS COMPANY; on dais, CRAFTSMEN / IN METAL

The reverse bears legend flanked by laurel branches: COMPLIMENTS / OF / THE ROBBINS CO. / ATTLEBORO / MASSACHUSETTS / ADVERTISING SPECIALTIES / BADGES - SOUVENIRS / ~ MEDALS ~ / COLLEGE AND SCHOOL / JEWELRY

Medals or plaquettes made to showcase and advertise a maker's services were called "storecards" and quite common in the first half of the 20th century. This is probably the nicest storecard  in my posession and it is full of ambiguity.  The young metal worker appears to be kneeling in revery, but in a pose that could also be seen as a dynamic leap. His left hand holding the graver is held out straight whereas the right hand holding the chasing hammer dangles relaxed behind him. I find myself intrigued by the design.

The circular medal measures 79.3mm in diameter and was strucki n bronze by the Robbins Company of Attleboro, Massachusetts. Neither artist nor mintage or date are known to me and I would appreciate any additional information.