All Medals

Chambellan designed this medal for the Allegheny Ludlum Steel company that was formed in 1938 by the merger of the Allegheny Steel Company of Brackenridge, Pennsylvania and the Ludlum Steel Company of Watervliet, New York. In 1996 it became part of Allegheny Technologies. I found a newspaper reference to the medal being awarded in 1946, which dates it to the period between 1938 and 1946. Dick Johnson dates it to 1946.

The obverse bears a bare chested steel worker wearing insulated gloves wielding a long rod, with machinery in the background. Above, THE PRESIDENT'S MEDAL; signed CHAMBELLAN / SC. The reverse bears a branch and a star with the embedded letters A-L. Around, ALLEGHENY LUDLUM AWARD; dedication in center, TO HONOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AND OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT.

This bronze medal has a diameter of 98mm (3 7/8in). It was struck by the Medallic Art Company but it does not bear a maker's mark, maybe due to the chrome plating.

References:   MACo 1946-013

The obverse bears bust of Edward H. Harriman facing l. torch to his left. Above, (rosette) EDWARD H HARRIMAN MEMORIAL MEDAL (rosette); across bust, AWARDED - BY THE / AMERICAN - MUSEUM / OF SAFETY - TO; inscribed under bust, ATLANTIC COAST LINE RAILROAD COMPANY / GROUP A RAILROAD; signed at right, JEF monogram

The reverse bears railroad man on tracks near signal, wearing cloak and carrying signal flag and lanterns. At left, FOR THE / UTMOST / PROGRESS; at right, IN SAFETY / AND / ACCIDENT / PREVENTION

Edward Henry ("Ned") Harriman made a career of rebuilding bankrupt railroads. At age 50 he became director of the Union Pacific Railroad. A year later he was chairman of the executive board and another five years later he was president of the company. At the time of his death in 1909 he controlled the Union Pacific, the Southern Pacific, the Saint Joseph and Grand Island, the Illinois Central, the Central of Georgia, the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and the Wells Fargo Express Company.

With the explosive growth in railroads around the beginning of the 20th century, accidents became an ever larger concern to the industry and to the public. In 1913 Edward Harriman's widow, who had inherited her husband's entire estate, sponsored this medal to encourage the young industry to pay more attention to the safety of its employees.

The American Museum of Safety presented medals in gold, silver, and bronze to railroads in three groups of line-haul carriers and a fourth group of switching and terminal companies for attaining the best employee safety records during the preceding year.

This medal measures 70mm in diameter. Early versions were struck by Tiffany and Co. in bronze, silver, and gold; later versions by the Medallic Art Company. The mintages are not reported.

References:   Baxter 233, MACo 1914-012, Marqusee 161

The obverse bears Art Deco image of Bellerophon with lyre riding winged pegasus above sun. Around, ART DIRECTORS CLUB / INCORPORATED 1920.

The reverse bears painter with palette and brush in center. Around center, AWARDED FOR SPECIAL MERIT. Around edge, laurel wreath with (PM monogram) at bottom.

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

Louis Pedlar founded the Art Directors' Club of New York in 1920 in response to the uncertain relationship between advertising art and fine art. Pedlar assembled a group of art buyers, art department managers and layout artists to ponder whether advertising art could be judged by the same stringent standards as fine art.

Obviously the answer was "yes" because Paul Manship was asked to create a medal to be used as an award. Awards were given annually in the areas of black-and-white illustration, color illustration, oil painting, and poster art, though not always in all areas.

An article published in Printers' Ink Monthly outlines the process that was used:

"All mediums were given consideration; black-and-white, flat color, oil painting and decorative design. A rigid standard of selection was enforced, and the 300 pictures shown, selected from many thousands submitted, represented the best there is in advertiding design.

Both the organization and the award still exist but the medal was replaced by a modern cube in the 1970's.

The medal measures 54mm (2 1/8in) in diameter and were manufactured by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1921-07, Murtha 139

References:   Cal HM-2000

The medal's obverse bears African slave with broken chains dangling from raised, shackled wrists. Around top, CENTENARIO DE LA ABOLICION DE LA ESCLAVITUD EN PUERTO RICO; at bottom, 1873 - 1973; signed at bottom right, B. 1973

The reverse bears scroll and laurel branch. On scroll, En homenaje a / los que sufrieron / los rigores de la / esclavitud y a todos / los que en Puerto Rico / y España lucharon / por su abolición.; around, INSTITUTO DE CULTURA PUERTORRIQUEÑA

The medal was issued by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, a governmental agency created in 1955. Among other duties, it manages the general archives and the national library.

Tomas Batista, a native Puerto Rican artist, designed the obverse and Ramon Gordils, one of MACo's staff artists, did the reverse. 

The circular medal measures 50mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1973-070

References:   MACo 1971-013-013, WR 13

The medal's obverse bears heads of female figure at left and male figure at right, female figure's hair extending down left edge and up between figures. Around, L'ERE DE L'INFORMATION - THE INFORMATION AGE; across, MONTRÉAL / 1992; signed at lower left, Hunt

The reverse bears legend, XIIe CONGRESS INTERNATIONAL / DES ARCHIVES / XIIth INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS / ON ARCHIVES / MONTREAL / 1992

The International Council on Archives was established around 1940 to promote cooperation amongst the national archival communities to develop better archival policies, procedures, and services to meet the challenges of an ever-changing society. Congresses are held every four years when delegates from all over the world meet to discuss topics of current concern. The XIIth meeting was held from the 7-11 September 1992 in Montreal, Canada. The theme of the congress was "The Profession of the Archivist in the Information Age".

The circular medal measures 50mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Lombardo Mint. No mintage is reported.

The medallion's obverse bears portrait of Martin Birnbaum, facing left. Around bottom, · MARTIN · BIRNBAUM ·

The reverse bears violin, three palm trees, a female torso, books, and a stylized wave pattern.  Signed and dated around top, · FROM · PAUL · M · 1939 ·

Martin Birnbaum (1878-1970) was the manager of the American branch of the Berlin Photographic Company in New York City from 1910-1916, and a longtime partner in the art firm Scott and Fowles. He was one of Manship's first benefactors after the artist returned from the American Academy in Rome and organized a very successful exhibition for Manship's sculpture in 1916.

This looped medallion appears to be an early cast. Murtha's reference shows the medallion without loop.

The medallion measures 100.7mm in diameter (111.2mm with loop) and was cast in bronze. It is not known how many medallions were produced.

References:   Murtha 397

References:   MACo 1968-018