Medallic Art Company

The medal's obverse depicts a tree in front of waterfall and wilderness in center field. Around, (star) INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY (star) / 1898 - 1948

The reverse bears dedication in center field: Presented to / in recognition of / more than a quarter / century of loyal / service with the / International Paper Company / or its subsidiaries; around, (star) FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY (star) / 1898 - 1948

The company was incorporated January 31, 1898, upon the merger of 18 pulp and paper mills in the northeastern United States. Its founders and first two presidents were William Augustus Russell and Hugh J. Chisholm. The newly formed company supplied 60 percent of all newsprint in the country.

This is another very nice Chambellan medal that exists in different variants. I know of a Canadian version of this medal that differs in the text on the obverse and the edge design on the reverse.

The medal measures 62mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1948-045

References:   MACo 1930-001-040, SoM 40

The medal's obverse bears group of three figures; male figure at left, representing industry is seated on an anvil and holds gear wheel and hammer; center female figure, representing public health, is holding caduceus and checmical reaction vessel; female figure at right, representing agriculture, is holding bundles of grain and a sickle. Around, APOTHECARIES HALL COMPANY / 1849 · CENTENNIAL ·  1949; signed at right under wheat, (RC monogram)

The medal's reverse bears view of the Apothecaries Hall Company's original building with horse-drawn cart to its left. Across, ORIGINAL ·  BUILDING · · 1849 / IN COMMEMORATION / OF A CENTVRY OF SERVICE TO / INDUSTRY, AGRICULTURE, AND PVBLIC HEALTH

References:   MACo 1949-012

References:   SoM 39

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

References:   MACo 1930-001-041, SoM 41

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Harvey S. Firestone, facing. To left and right, HARVEY S. / FIRESTONE - FOUNDER

The reverse bears ten scenes relating to Firestone's business arrayed around center field, from rubber tapping at top, to various vehicles, chemical reaction vessels, to airplane.  In centerfield, 50 YEARS / OF / FIRESTONE / SERVICE / 1900 - 1950

Harvey S. Firestone (1868-1938) was an American businessman, and the founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, one of the first global makers of automobile tires.

After graduating from Columbiana High School, Firestone worked for the Columbus Buggy Company in Columbus, Ohio before starting his own company in 1890, making rubber tires for carriages. In 1900 he soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles and then founded the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, a pioneer in the mass production of tires.

Dick Johnson reports that the medal's obverse was designed by Jeno Juszko but the reverse was designed by Don de Lue! Based on the reverse's subject matter and the style I would have guessed Rene Chambellan, but never Don de Lue.

The medal's edge is drilled at top and bottom so that it can be installed in a spinner, which was a popular display style for industrial commemoratives in the middle of the 20th century.

The circular medal measures 69.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1950-016

The uniface medal bears a basketbll player poised to pass ball, r. Across, NATIONAL - COLLEGIATE / BASKET- BALL / CHAM- PION- SHIP; signed (RAW monogram) / ©

Dick Johnson lists three different set numbers for this medal but as they are without images, I can't be sure which one this medal represents.  The set numbers are 001 through 003.

The circular medal measures 44.3mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1950-056

The obverse bears man and woman holding baby; daisy at l., ear of wheat at r. Above, PEACE / IS / LIFE; below, © HOWARD

The reverse bears skull with gaping jaw; landscape with burning buildings, steeple, dead tree. Above, WAR / IS / DEATH

In the brochure accompanying the medal Howard wrote:

"The theme of this medal is so obvious as to demand very little explanation. I should like to say, however, the 'Life' and 'Death' as here used, are intended to mean not only physical life and death, but the preservation or destruction of civilization and moral values as well."

This medal was chosen as the 42nd issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1950.  It measures 72mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its reported mintage is 842 pieces in silver-plated bronze.

References:   MACo 1930-001-042, SoM 42