Medallic Art Company

References:   MACo 1912-G2

The galvano plaque bears portrait of moustachioed, older man, three quarters facing. Signed on truncation, Juszko 1912

While I could not definitively identify the subject of this plaque, I managed to locate a Medallic Art Company medal from 1913 in the ANS archives that has a very similar portrait differing only in details. It bears the legend "FAUST - DER MEPHISTO."  This makes me believe that the subject is an opera singer who performed as Dr. Faust at the Metropolitan Opera. 

The circular plaque measures 101.8mm in diameter.

The obverse bears two nude babies. Above, BETTER BABIES. The reverse bears a field for the name of the recipient and the following legend: BETTER - BABIES - MEDAL / AWARDED BY / THE / WOMAN'S / HOME COMPANION; signed LAURA FRASER / SCULPTOR. The medal is edgemarked © CROWELL PUB. CO. 1913

Elaine Leotti, in her paper "The American Woman Medalist," comments:

"Fraser's Better Babies Medal done in 1913 for the Woman's Home Companion is her only piece which can truly be called feminine. It is a well balanced medal, nicely executed if a bit on the sentimental side. The babies' bare flesh is soft, almost palpable, their curls and dimpled elbows invite touch, thus appealing to exactly the audience the medal was meant to impress."

Today, the title "Better Babies" almost invariably elicits a wince or a giggle. What was the background for this medal? As the Eugenics Archive of Cold Harbor Spring Laboratory puts it:

At the beginning of the 20th century, citizens concerned about high infant mortality in the United States took up the call of "baby saving." These initiatives relied on standards for normal child development, as well as input from healthcare professionals and public health officials. Better Babies Contests addressed this concern for child welfare and physical development, becoming the first eugenic competitions held at state fairs.

The first "Scientific Baby Contest" to combine these standards was initiated by Mary DeGarmo in 1908 at the Louisiana State Fair. DeGarmo linked the competitions to the social efficiency movement and its call for standardized homes, roads, and schools. Many Progressives believed that such standardization would improve the lives of young children.

With the assistance of Dr. Jacob Bodenheimer, measures of contestants' physical and intellectual development were carefully recorded. Winning contestants often appeared in graduation gowns and were presented with "loving cups" to mark their achievement. By 1913, the Woman's Home Companion magazine co-sponsored the contests, which were simply known as "Better Babies Contests." The magazine presented certificates signed by DeGarmo and Bodenheimer documenting that winners had "a sound mind in a sound body."

Mary T. Watts and Florence Brown Sherbon had organized Better Babies in Iowa in 1911. However, in 1920 they were provided new evaluation forms by Charles Davenport, who was then a member of the American Association for the Study and Prevention of Infant Mortality (AASPIM). Using Davenport's forms, they organized the first "Fitter Families for Future Firesides Competition" at the Kansas State Free Fair. Watts and Sherbon added a hereditarian explanation for human differences to the Better Babies Contests' earlier focus on child development and welfare. Thus they completed the transformation of Scientific Baby Contests to a vehicle popularizing eugenic ideas.

The medal exists in a 33mm gold and a 51mm bronze variant. The Medallic Art Company struck it between 1912 and some time in the mid twenties and the total mintage is probably in the hundreds.

Sourced from the excellent E-Sylum and the Eugenics Archive.

References:   Baxter 355, MACo 1913-005

The medal's obverse bears kneeling archer with drawn bow, facing right; sun at his feet, stars above, cape flowing over his left shoulder. Signed at lower left, (GSC monogram)

The reverse bears a view of of the Municipal Building of Springfield, Massachusetts over two branches of laurel and oak. Around top, · 1636 · SPRINGFIELD · 1852; across, TO / COMMEMORATE / THE DEDICATION OF / THE MVNICIPAL BVILDINGS / OF THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD / · MASSACHVSETTS ON THE / EIGHTH AND NINTH DAYS OF DECEMBER / IN THE YEAR OF OVR LORD · NINE- /TEEN HVNDRED AND THIRTEEN; under buildings, 1913

This medal represents an interesting collaboration: Gail Corbett designed the medal's obverse and Felix Weil, one of the founders of the Medallic Art Company, the reverse.

This circular medal measures 63.8mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

Many thanks to the Numismatic department of the Yale University Art Gallery for their generosity and support in granting me access to this medal for research.

References:   MACo 1913-009

The medal's obverse bears seated female figure, arm raised in appeal to standing female figure. Around, NON SCHOLAE SED VITAE; signed at bottom, H. Schuler 1914

The reverse bears open book with rose across. In central bar, PEABODY MEDAL; inscrobed and dated at top and bottom, DOROTHY HOWARD / 1925

The Latin phrase "NON SCHOLAE SED VITAE" is the short form of a phrase that first appeared in Seneca's letters. It roughly translates to "We do not learn for school, but for life."

The Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University was founded in 1857 and is the oldest conservatory in the United States.

References:   MACo 1914-003

References:   Baxter 304, MACo 1914-011, Marqusee 338

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 uniface medal's obverse depicts a young woman sketching. Around, SCHOOL ART LEAG-UE OF NEW YORK CITY; on foot rest, FOR MERIT; in exergue, 19 (JF monogram) 15

The edge bears maker's mark MEDALLIC ART CO. N.Y.

The medal is also known as the John W. Alexander Medal. Alexander (1856-1915) was a painter and illustrator who died in 1915 and was commemorated by this medal.

The medal measures 68mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its mintage is not reported.

References:   Baxter 155, MACo 1915-002, Marqusee 154