All Medals

References:   MACo 1966-001-006, WWII 6

The medal's obverse bears figure of Asher, facing right, picking fruit from a tree into basket at his feet; trees on hilly slope to his right, sun to his left. At top left, ASHER; signed and dated in exergue, © E. WEISTROP 1970

The reverse bears Star of David, symbols and names from all twelve medals. In center, THE / TWELVE / TRIBES OF / ISRAEL

Asher was Jacob's eighth son, his second son with Zilpah. Asher's blessing was the beauty of his women, who would be sought in marriage by kings and high priests. Jacob's blessing also included:

"Asher's bread shall be rich and he shall yield royal dainties."

This is the eighth medal in Elizabeth Weistrop's Twelve Tribes of Israel series. The circular medal measures 43mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintages are reported.

References:   MACo 1969-100-006, TToI 8

The medal's obverse bears spread eagle, facing. Around, THe FAIRFIELD COUNTY TRUST CO.; in exergue, CHARTERED 1889

The reverse bears outline of Fairfield County with superimposed gem-cut diamond. Around, FAIRFIELD COUNTY TRUST / 75 YEARS OF SERVICE TO COMMUNITY; at left, 1889 / 1964

The Fairfield County Trust Company was a local bank that was acquired by the Chase Manhattan Bank in 1992.

The circular medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1963-012

The obverse bears male figure standing at right, wearing chain and plate armor and holding a jousting lance in one hand while resting the other on pommel of sword. Around, ADDRESSOGRAPH MULTIGRAPH TWENTY-FIVE YEAR SERVICE MEDAL; octagonal AM logo at right; inscribed with AWARDED / TO / C. P. RODHOLM / 1946

The reverse bears logo-crested shield with legend IN GRATEFUL / RECOGNITION OF / ABILITY AND LOYALTY / DURING A QUARTER / CENTURY OF / FAITHFUL SERVICE / (signature).

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

Joseph Smith Duncan developed the first Addressograph in 1892. That model consisted of a hexagonal wood block onto which he glued rubber type which had been torn from rubber stamps. While revolving, the block simultaneously inked the next name and address ready for the next impression.

In 1932 the company merged with American Multigraph of Cleveland, Ohio, to form the Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation manufacturing highly efficient addressograph and duplicating machines. In 1982 the company declared bancruptcy, probably because it just could not compete with the electronic publishing and copying industry.

The circular medallion measures 100.3mm and is struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1936-011

The medal's obverse bears bust of young laurel-crowned Apollo, facing right, within beaded border. Signed at lower right (AAW monogram).

The reverse bears oil lamp with three flames and light rays within beaded border and raised rim. Below, NATIONAL·INSTITUTE· / ·OF·ARTS·AND · / · LETTERS ·

The medal is inscribed to Charles McLean Andrews on the edge.

Charles McLean Andrews (1863-1943) was born in Wethersfield, Connecticut, where his father was a minister in the Catholic Apostolic Church. He studied first at Trinity and then at Johns Hopkins, where he received his Ph.D. in 1889. After teaching stints at Bryn Mawr and Johns Hopkins he finished his career at Yale, where he taught American history from 1910 until his retirement in 1931.

Honored with many memberships and fellowships for his historical publications‒he published 102 major scholarly articles and books as well as over 360 book reviews, newspaper articles and short items‒he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1935 and this medal in 1937. The National Institute of Arts and Letters' Gold Medal is only awarded once a decade and easily one of the most coveted prizes in the humanities.

The circular medal measures 57.6mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and gold-plated bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintages are reported but the awarded medal should be an exceedingly rare specimen!

Many thanks to the Yale University Art Gallery's Numismatics department for its generosity and assistance in making this beautiful medal available to me for research.

References:   Baxter 176, MACo 1909-007

The obverse shows wood duck preening, new fern fronds uncurling in background. Around, CONSERVE WILD LIFE; in lower right, signed G.K.LATHROP / ©

The reverse bears a kneeling pronghorn with large barrel cactus behind.

Gertrude Lathrop was an early environmentalist. She was deeply concerned with preserving wilderness and wildlife and railed against inhumane traps, farmers who killed predators, the use of furs in fashion, indiscriminate use of poisons, and the slaughter of entire species of birds and animals.

She chose the wood duck because it was endangered by the draining of wetlands and the pronghorn because by 1938 the only exemplars to be found lived on reservations.

This medal was chosen as the 18th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1938. It measures 73mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its reported mintage is 1,025 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-018, Marqusee 237, SoM 18

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, facing right; to left, crown over E; signed at lower right, Alfred Courtens / 1953

The reverse bears recessed cross. Across, SA MAJESTE / LA REINE ELISABETH / PRESIDENTE D'HONNEUR / DE LA CROIX-ROUGE / DE / BELGIQUE; engraved, Melle  D. FRISON / 1917 - 1968

Queen Elisabeth of Belgium was the honorary chairwoman of the Belgian Red Cross for many decades.

The circular medal measures 69.9mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by Jules Fonson and Company. No mintage is reported.

The plaquette's obverse bears bust of Josiah K. Lilly facing right. Below, signature J. K. Lilly; signed in bottom right corner, KILENYI.

The plaquette's reverse bears 13-line inscription, 1876 / COMMEMORATING / THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY / OF THE FOUNDING OF / ELI LILLY AND COMPANY / AND / THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY / OF THE CONNECTION WITH / THE COMPANY OF / JOSIAH KIRBY LILLY / ITS / BELOVED PRESIDENT / 1926

Josiah K. Lilly Sr. (1861-1948) started working at Eli Lilly and Co., the company his father had founded, when he was 14 years old, eventually becoming chairman of the board.

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 depicts factory floor scene with two workers operating a casting furnace.  Around, · 1899 - FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY - 1949 ·  / CHICAGO MALLEABLE CASTINGS COMPANY

The medal's reverse bears vertical line of laurel leaves at left. Across, 50TH ANNIVERSARY / (five stars) / FIFTY YEARS IN / A SINCERE EFFORT / TO GIVE COMPLETE / SATISFACTION BY / IMPROVING OUR / PRODUCTS AND / BETTERNG OUR / SERVICE.

References:   MACo 1949-002