All Medals

This uniface variant's obverse bears a stylized tre with buds and birds. Around, · THE GARDEN CLUB · / OF AMERICA

The circular medal measures 74.8mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1938-007

References:   CoF 7

The medal's obverse bears upholstered armchair. Around, SHEARMAN BROTHERS COMPANY / JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK; under chair, OUR / 75th YEAR

The reverse bears company's trademark. Around, MANUFACTURING QUALITY FURNITURE / DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY; in geometric logo, SHEARMAN / BROTHERS / COMPANY / HIGH GRADE / UPHOLSTERY / JAMESTOWN / NEW / YORK / TRADE / MARK

I find myself oddly attracted to this otherwise pretty standard corporate commemorative.  The armchair is very nicely rendered with a floral pattern and the overall composition is pleasing.

The circular medal measures 76.2mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Richard Norton, facing right.

The reverse bears legend. In center field, AMERICAN / RED CROSS / AMBULANCE SECTIONS / PRESENTED TO OUR / CHIEF / RICHARD NORTON ESQ / IN TOKEN OF OUR / ESTEEM AND AFFECTION / OCTOBER 1914 / OCTOBER 1917; around, the names of battles in which the unit participated, ALBERT - HEBUTERNE - CHAMPAGNE - VERDUN - CHEMIN DES DAMES

The American Volunteer Motor Ambulance Corps, also known as the Norton-Harjes Ambulance Corps, was an organization started in London, England, in the fall of 1914 by Richard Norton (1872-1918), a noted archeologist and son of Harvard professor Charles Eliot Norton.

Its mission was to assist the movement of wounded Allied troops from the battlefields to hospitals in France during World War I. The Corps began with two cars and four drivers. The service was associated with the British Red Cross and St. John Ambulance.

The "Harjes" part of the name refers to Henry Herman Harjes, a French millionaire banker who wished to help Norton by donating funds and ambulances. When the United States officially joined the war in 1917, the service had thirteen sections of six hundred American volunteer drivers and three hundred ambulances.

For his service, Richard Norton was awarded the Croix de Guerre, the Legion of Honour, and the Order of St. Lazarus. His award of the Cross of the Legion of Honor was the highest award given to any foreigner by France during World War I.

The bronze medal is neither signed nor does it have any mint marks. It is circular and measures 59mm in diameter. No mintage is reported.

The uniface medallion's obverse bears aproned man standing at little stove with boiling pot, stretching rubber between is hands. To left and around, 10 / YEAR - OF FRIENDLY RELATIONS; in exergue, DISCOVERY OF VULCANIZATION / OF RUBBER BY / CHARLES GOODYEAR / 1839; signed to right of stove, (RC monogram)

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 10 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 1948-041-001

The galvano plaque bears portrait of moustachioed, older man, three quarters facing. Signed on truncation, Juszko 1912

While I could not definitively identify the subject of this plaque, I managed to locate a Medallic Art Company medal from 1913 in the ANS archives that has a very similar portrait differing only in details. It bears the legend "FAUST - DER MEPHISTO."  This makes me believe that the subject is an opera singer who performed as Dr. Faust at the Metropolitan Opera. 

The circular plaque measures 101.8mm in diameter.

References:   ANS 20

The medal's obverse bears nude male figure, kneeling, facing right, holding bow in left hand, cloak draped over arm; heavily beaded border around. At left, TO KAΛΛINIKON.

The reverse bears Roman helmet with horse design. Across, YALE - UNI-/VERSITY · / HENRY · ELIAS - HOWLAND / MEMORIAL MEDAL

Yale University's Henry Howland Memorial Prize was created in 1915 for a "citizen of any country in recognition of some achievement of marked distinction in the field of literature or fine arts or the science of government." The idealistic quality of the recipient's work is an important factor in his selection.

The award was established in honor of Henry Elias Howland (1835–1913), a member of the Yale class of 1854, by a donation of $15,000 by his children Charles P. Howland (Yale 1891), Dr. John Howland (Yale 1894), and Frances Howland. The prize has generally been awarded every two years. Henry Elias Howland was a Justice and a member of the Yale Corporation. He also served as President of the Yale Club in New York City and the Descendants of the Mayflower organization.

The obverse legend TO KAΛΛINIKON might refer to a battle between the Byzantine empire and an invading Persian army near the city of Kallinikon. General Belisarius saved the day by crossing the Euphrates on boat to rally fleeing Roman troops and turn the tide of battle.

The circular medal measures 72.9mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

Many thanks to the Numismatics department of the Yale University Art Gallery for their generosity and support in making this medal available to me for research.

References:   MACo 1917-018