All Medals

The medal's obverse bears Ford logo under nine stars. Around bottom, 75TH ANNIVERSARY

The reverse bears early motor carriage in front of first company building. Around, DIAMOND JUBILEE / 1903 (star) 1978

The circular medal measures 63.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of Danbury, Connecticut. No mintage is reported.

The plaquette bears a winged female figure standing on globe, carrying book in one hand and scroll in outstretched other; flanking her are two pedestals carrying oil lamps of learning and BHS monogram in wreath. In exergue, THE CHARLES E. FRENCH / MEDAL

This plaquette is somewhat enigmatic. It is clearly well executed but not signed. Storer reports two medals (#824 and #1145) that could match, and the one awarded to the three highest ranking seniors in the five graduating classes of Braintree High School matches best with the monogram in the pedestals.

The plaquette measures 99mm x 64.5mm and was struck in sterling silver. No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse depicts a hospital scene with Japanese doctor taking the pulse of caucasian patient sitting up in bed, Japanese nurse standing by with a bottle of medicine. Around top, Japaense symbols ; signed at left, P LENOIR

The reverse bears crossed French and Japanese flags with Cross on lotus flower in center. Around, HOPITAUX JAPONAIS EN FRANCE, across, 1914 - 1918

The Japanese Red Cross Society had acquired an impressive reputation by providing assistance with numerous disasters world-wide, for example the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.

Only a few days after Japan entered World War I on the Allied side, the Japanese Cabinet requested that the Red Cross Society send three groups of doctors and nurses to Europe: one each to Japan’s allies, Britain, France and Russia. The leaders of the Red Cross Society accepted this proposal, readily recognizing the national and international importance of this pioneering act of Asian medical aid to European countries. The three allies quickly accepted the Japanese suggestion.

The uniface medal bears bust of Captain Arthur Rostron facing right. Around, S·S·TITANIC (laurel branch) APRIL·15·1912 (laurel branch) S·S·CARPATHIA / CAPTAIN · ROSTRON; signed to left and right of bust, © - SPICER·/SIMSON

The edge is marked with a faint "41"

On April 15, 1912, Arthur Henry Rostron (1869-1940) was a captain for the Cunard Line when his ship, the ocean liner RMS Carpathia, received a distress signal from the White Star liner RMS Titanic. The Titanic had struck an iceberg and was sinking rapidly.  Rostron immediately ordered his ship to race for the sinking Titanic.  His engineering crew coaxed the Carpathia's engines up to 17.5 knots, 3.5 knots over its rated speed. He took a huge risk racing through dense ice at night but he knew what was at stake when a major liner was sinking in freezing water in the middle of the Atlantic.  In the 3.5 hours which it took to arrive at the Titanic's radioed position he gave 23 orders that would later prove to have saved lives. His crew prepared blankets, food and drinks and ended up rescuing 710 survivors from the freezing waters of the Atlantic.

Rostron was honored with the Congressional Gold Medal, the Thanks of Congress, the American Cross of Honor, and medals by the Liverpool and New York Shipwreck Societies.  Rostron would eventually rise to the position of Commodore of the Cunard Line and served as a British Naval Officer during World War I.

The medal was privately commissioned by Titanic survivors Margaret Brown and Dennis Telluride.

The circular medal measures 51mm. Only 500 pieces were struck in bronze.

References:   Cal FM-1972

References:   BG 34

References:   MACo 1966-001-003, WWII 3

The medal's obverse bears seal of the University of Pittsburgh. Around, SIGILLUM CANCELLARII UNIVERSITATIS PITTSBURGHENSIS

The reverse bears incuse legend, WORN FIRST / BY / EDWARD HAROLD LITCHFIELD / AT HIS / INAUGURATION AS / TWELFTH CHANCELLOR / OF THE / UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH / MAY 11. 1957

The medallion measures 76mm in diameter and was strucki n gold-plated bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

The plaquette's obverse bears portrait of Hunt, facing left, on circular field, ROBERT WOOLSTON HVNT around top. Two femal figures flank medal on both sides.  Signed at bottom right, EMIL FUCHS

The reverse bears steel worker in front of steel works, a Bessemer vessel at left, a steel rolling machine at right. Signed at lower right, EMIL FUCHS

Robert Woolston Hunt (1838-1923) was a metallurgical engineer, inventor, and superintendent in the American steel industry. He was elected President of the American Institute of Mining Engineers as well as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, which shows the high esteem in which his peers held him. During the Civil War he served as commander of Camp Harrisburg in Pennslvania and as a mustering officer for the state of Pennsylvania, undoubtedly putting his administrative talents to good use.

The piece in fine silver that is depicted was awarded to Edwin Chester Wright for a paper titled "The Manufacture and Properties of Killed Bessemer Steel."  By 1945 the medal had only been awarded nine times, so this is probably a very rare medal.

The rectangular plaquette measures 100.9mm x 69.3mm and was struck in silver-plated bronze or fine silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported. I assume that it was also struck in bronze but I have not encountered that variant yet.

References:   Baxter 294, MACo 1921-021, Marqusee 189, 53

The medal's obverse bears busts of Roosevelt and Alves, slight left. Around, PRES. THEOD. ROOSEVELT / U·S·AMERICA -  : 1906 : - PRES. RODRIGUES ALVES / E·U·BRAZIL; signed at right, (EL monogram)

The reverse bears legend, TERCEIRA / CONFERENCIA / INTERNACIONAL / AMERICANA / RIO DE JANEIRO / BRAZIL / 1906

James G. Blaine, a United States politician, Secretary of State and presidential contender, first proposed establishment of closer ties between the United States and its southern neighbors and proposed international conferences to further that goal. Blaine hoped that ties between the United States and its southern counterparts would open Latin American markets to US trade and prevent European nations from meddling in the Americas.

The Second Pan-American Conference in Mexico had created the Pan-American Railway Committee and tasked it with the creation of a railway connecting the various American republics. Their initial report was presented at this conference and further, more detailed planning took place.

The circular medal measures 45mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.