All Medals

References:   MACo 1972-021

The obverse bears the well-known reverse of the Athenian tetradrachm with owl, olive branch and ΑΘΕ. Around patinated background, - THOMAS J. WATSON - MEMORIAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP

The reverse bears year in center field, 19 / 63; around, - INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION

The edge is marked MEDALLIC ART CO.N.Y.

The medal was commissioned by IBM as a physical token accompanying the more significant scholarship grant. As of 2014, the Thomas J. Watson Memorial Merit Scholarship awarded $2,000 per year to high achieving children of IBM employees. The grant is renewable for 4 years. Summer internship opportunities are also available to recipients.

The medal was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1961-013

The plaque bears Heracles running next to Ceryneian Hind, both facing left, within heavily beaded border. Signed at bottom, EDWARD FIELD SANFORD JR. 1914.

It was Heracles' third labour to catch the Ceryneian Hind. Heracles had proven that killing great beasts was a challenge he could overcome with relative ease. Catching the Ceryneian Hind was supposed to be impossible as the sacred deer could outrun even arrows that were shot at her. Even were Heracles to succeed, by doing so he would anger the goddess Artemis, because the hind was hers.

Heracles succeeded by catching the hind, apologizing to Artemis and promising to let the hind go after the completion of his task, and then tricking Eurystheus into letting the hind go after he had confirmed the challenge's completion.

The circular plaque measures 142.5mm in diameter and was cast in bronze. No mintage is reported.

References:   Baxter 240, MACo 1958-007

The obverse bears an artfully draped couple embracing, woman in foreground. Legend reads OMNIA / VINCIT / AMOR (Love conquers all). The reverse bears the same couple as seen from the other side. Legend reads MAN / -KIND / LOVE A / LOVER. Signed AI /TK / EN.

The brochure which accompanied the medal had the following words from the artist:

"In making a medal or medallion the main problem is to add, if possible, to its metallic alloy the one ingredient which makes bronze imperishable - Beauty - Beauty in thought and execution. For Beauty inspires Love - Love creates Beauty."

This medal was chosen as the 15th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1937. It measures 73mm in diameter and 1,160 pieces were struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Around 100 silver medals were struck from the same dies in the 1970s.

References:   MACo 1930-001-015, Marqusee 4, SoM 15

References:   BG 42

The medal's obverse bears the image of early Anglo-Saxon coin with bust of King Offa above a metal worker about to strike a medal; all surrounded by border of rope and waves. In coin, OFFA REX; at bottom right, TORNEI

The reverse bears Lion rampant with tower and star over sea shells. Around, (rosetta) CINCINNATI (symbol) MILLING (clover leaf) MACHINES (symbol) LIMITED (rosetta); in exergue, 1934 - 1964; signed at bottom, B.M & F. Co LTD.

King Offa ruled the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia from 757 to 796.  He is regarded as having been the most powerful Anglo-Saxon ruler until Alfred the Great's reign which started fifty years after Offa's death. Offa's reign is known for coinage that is of much higher quality than that of its neighbors, undoubtedly a reason for the Cincinnati Milling Machines Company to reference him on their medal.

The Cincinnati Milling Machines Company was formed in 1889 for the purpose of building and promoting innovative new machine tool designs, especially milling machines. The two principals were Frederick A. Geier and Fred Holz. It is unclear what significance the year 1934 had for the company and why the company, whose founders have very German-sounding names, picked a reference to the King of Mercia for this commemorative medal.

The circular medal measures 58mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

This medal's obverse bears portrait of Avery facing left. Around, · PRESENTED · TO · SAMVEL · PVTNAM · AVERY · BY · HIS · FRIENDS · AND · THE · ARCHITECTS · OF · NEW · YORK; signed over shoulder at right, V D BRENNER / 1914

The reverse bears view of building facade framed by trees and shrubs. Above, THE AVERY LIBRARY; below, framed by two wreaths, · FOVNDED · BY · / · SAMVEL · PVTNAM · AVERY · / · AND · MARY · OGDEN · AVERY · / · 1890 · / · COMPLETED · BY · / · SAMVEL · PVTNAM · AVERY · / · THEIR · SON · / · 1912 ·

The edge is marked TIFFANY & CO. FINE SILVER

The Avery Library is named for Henry Ogden Avery, one of late nineteenth century New York's promising young architects and a friend of William Robert Ware, who founded the Department of Architecture at Columbia in 1881. A few weeks after Avery's premature death in 1890, his parents, Samuel Putnam Avery and Mary Ogden Avery, established the library as a memorial to their son. They offered 2,000 of his books, mostly in architecture, archaeology, and the decorative arts, many of his original drawings, funds to round out the book collection, and an endowment to assure the continuous growth of the library.

The medal measures 64mm in diameter and was struck in silver by Tiffany & Company of New York City.

References:   Baxter 141

References:   Cal FM-1974

The uniface medal bears nude, almost cherubic twins, each facing towards an edge with their bodies but heads turned towards each other, arms interlocked at center; bold geometric border around.  Across, GEM -INI; at bottom,  © MACO 1967

Chambellan's Zodiac medals were issued more than a decade after his death and are probably based on designs he made in the early 1930s when he was working on the RKO Roxy Theater.  The 1960s saw renewed interest in astrology and the signs of the zodiac arising in part from the counter-cultural hippie movement and its subsequent adoption into mainstream culture.

Gemini is the third astrological sign in the zodiac, originating from the constellation of Gemini. Under the tropical zodiac, the sun transits this sign between May 21 and June 21. Gemini is represented by the twins Castor and Pollux. The symbol of the twins is based on the Dioscuri, one mortal and one immortal, that were granted shared half-immortality after the death of the mortal brother (Castor).

The circular medal measures 69.7mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1967-151-006