Medallic Art Company

The medal's obverse bears bust of Gail Borden, facing right. At right, THE / BORDEN / COMPANY / GAIL / BORDEN; around bottom, 1857 · ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY · 1957; signed under truncation, RALPH J MENCONI Sc.

The medal's reverse bears laurel wreath around legend, "I TRIED AND FAILED / I TRIED AGAIN AND / AGAIN AND SUCCEEDED" / Gail Borden

The company was founded by Gail Borden, Jr., in 1857 in Connecticut as "Gail Borden, Jr., and Company." After initial struggles, referred to in the founder's quote on the medal's reverse, the company succeeded to become the largest U.S. producer of dairy and pasta products.  Today's consumers probably know it best for its "Elmer's Glue" and "Crazy Glue" products. It was eventually acquired by KKR in 1995 and sold off in pieces in 2001.

References:   MACo 1956-008

The medal's obverse bears bust of Horace Marden Albright facing left. Around, THE AMERICAN SCENIC AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY / FOUNDED 1895; signed under truncation, MANSHIP 1957

The reverse bears idyllic nature scene with doe and stag before brook, woods, and mountains in background. Around top, HORACE MARDEN ALBRIGHT AWARD; empty banner at bottom.

The American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society was created in 1895 as New York’s first organized preservation lobby. The Society operated as a national organization to protect the natural scenery and the preservation of historic landmarks; to preserve landmarks and records of the past or present; to erect memorials and promote appreciation of the scenic beauty of America.

The Society relied upon the involvement of a group of New York society's active elites, as well as a "nascent" middle class, and counted a significant number of politicians, representatives, and legislators as influential allies. Members such as John D. Rockefeller, Jr., John Pierpont Morgan, and William Pryor Letchworth added to the organization's prestige.

Horace Marden Albright (1890-1987) was a prominent conservationist who served in the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service before emarking on a career in industry. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Jimmy Carter.

The circular medallion measures 89mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

Sourced mainly from here.

References:   MACo 1957-041

The medal's obverse bears teacher surrounded by group of students and chemical flasks. Around, AWARDED FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRE HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY TEACHING; signed on truncation of pupil at right bottom, J. E. R. Sc.

The reverse bears chemical vessels, book and banner for engaving. Around, PRESENTED BY / CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION; on banner, AWARDED TO

This medal comes in (two or) three flavors: one for college level teaching, one for high school, and one for pre-high school. Dick Johnson, who is the authority for anything related to the Medallic Art Company only lists the first two but not this member of the set.

References:   MACo 1957-046

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Benjamin Ourisman facing left. Around, BENJAMIN OURISMAN MEMORIAL CIVIC AWARD; signed on truncation, G. ROBERTS 1957

The reverse bears Star of David at top. Below, PRESENTED TO / (cartouche) / BY THE / JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER / OF WASHINGTON / IN RECOGNITION OF / OUTSTANDING AND MERITORIOUS / SERVICES / (cartouche)

The circular medal measures 75.6mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1957-064

References:   Baxter 240, MACo 1958-007

References:   ANS 48

This medal's obverse bears group of three figures, standing, toga-wearing female with spear held in one hand and shield raised protectively over seated mother with naked toddler. Around, THE · EQUITABLE · LIFE · ASSURANCE · SOCIETY · OF · THE · UNITED · STATES

The reverse bears text in center, 100th / Anniversary; around, ★ 1859 ★ 1959 ★ / A CENTURY OF SECURITY

The edge is marked MEDALLIC ART CO. N.Y.; two holes indicate that the medals was once mounted in a desktop holder.

The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States was founded by Henry Baldwin Hyde in 1859. Its first headquarters were in the Equitable Life Building, near Wall Street, which opened its doors in 1875. In 1905, James Hazen Hyde, the founder's son and successor as President of the company, found himself at the center of the so called Hyde Costume Ball Scandal, a smear campaign manufactured by other Board members and designed to wrest control of the company from him. The scandal resulted in a Wall Street panic and an investigation of the entire insurance industry. Today, the company is known as AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company.

The medal represents a collaboration by two artists: its artistic obverse was designed and modeled by Sinnock while the text-oriented reverse was done by Roberts.

The circular medal measures 69.9mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1958-043-001

This medal's obverse bears Pegasus in flight above buildings representing historical landmarks in architecture; from left to right, the Sphinx, the Parthenon, the Coliseum, and skyscrapers with two eagles perched on top. The buildings rest on overlapping branches growing from architects' and sculptors' tools in exergue. Around top, NATIONAL - SCULPTURE - SOCIETY; over Sphinx, 3500 B.C.; over Parthenon, 438 B.C., over Coliseum, 80 A.D.; on sky scraper, 20 / CENTURY; above exergue, HENRY HERING / MEMORIAL MEDAL

The reverse bears conjoined eagles, one with wings spread, both perching on plinth; oak branches on both sides. At top, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN / MATT 5:16; across, AWARDED AS A MARK OF DISTINCTION / FOR OUTSTANDING COOPERATION / BETWEEN ARCHITECT AND SCULPTOR; signed in exergue to left and right of plinth, ALBINO - MANCA

The National Sculpture Society's Henry Hering Memorial Award (or Henry Hering Art and Architecture Award as it is now called) was created in 1959 and is awarded for excellence in an architectural project in which the architect collaborated with the sculptor and owner of a site. The medal is not given annually; it is awarded when the circumstance arises. Originally, there were three categories: regligious, monumental, and commercial. The jury is composed of three sculptors and two architects.

The award is named for Henry Hering (1874-1949), a brilliant architectural sculptor who had a studio in New York but whose most famous works are mainly located in the mid-west.

One interesting anecdote about Hering involves a plane crash in 1945. A military B-25 had crashed into the Empire State Building. While most of the wreckage had either embedded itself in the building or fallen to the ground, one engine continued on its way for several blocks and finally ended its voyage in Henry Hering's penthouse, destroying approximately $75,000 worth of work.

This particular medal was awarded for work in the religious category in 1961. The project was the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. The recipients were Eugene F. Kennedy, Jr. of Maginnis Walsh & Kennedy (the Boston architect) and Francis Cardinal Spellman representing the Catholic Church (the owner). The same year, Paul Manship won the award in the monumental category, along with Eric Gugler of Gugler, Kimball & Husted for the American war memorial at Anzio-Nettuno in Italy.

The circular medal measures 76.6mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Many thanks to Lorraine Burns for the beautiful pictures and the sleuthing involved in tracking down this particular medal's detailed history.

References:   MACo 1959-031

The medal's obverse bears bust of Willard F. Rockwell, facing. Around top, WILLARD F. ROCKWELL; around bottom, 45 YEARS AN / AUTOMOTIVE PARTS PIONEER; signed under truncation, R·J·MENCONI

The reverse bears corporate logo with 50 YEARS in circle. Around, ROCKWELL-STANDARD CORPORATION / 1909 - 1959

Willard F. Rockwell (1888-1978) was born in Boston, Massachusetts and attended the local public schools before attending MIT. In the years between 1909 and 1915 he was chief engineer for several small companies and developed a keen interest in the automotive business. During World War I he was a civilian specialist in the Army Quartermaster Corps. In 1919 he started his first company in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and sold it nine years later, staying on as its manager and a director of the Timken-Detroit Axle Company. He became president only four years later and merged it with several small companies he controlled. In 1958 he renamed the large company to Rockwell Standard Corp.  Rockwell-Standard eventually became a major player in aviation and the space industry and is now called Rockwell International.

The circular medal measures 69.9mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1959-066

The medal's obverse bears woman standing in gate leading into formal garden. In exergue, AMERICAN DAHLIA SOCIETY

The reverse bears American Eagle bearing arrows, olive branch, and streamer reading ORGANIZED - MAY 10 1915. Underneath, AWARDED TO / (cartouche for inscription)

The American Dahlia Society (ADS) was founded in 1915 and is composed of over 70 independent local societies in the US and Canada. Today it is a non-profit organization for the purpose of stimulating interest in, disseminating information about, and promoting the culture and development of, the dahlia.

The medal measures 73.4mm x 47.1mm  and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.