The John E. Marqusee Collection

The medal's obverse bears bust of Choate left. Around left edge, CHOATE; at lower right, signed H. A.

The reverse bears oil lamp of Century Association above, surrounded by C - A; circled ANS oak leaves below; laurels around. In center field, JOSEPH HODGES CHOATE / 1832 - 1917 / PATRIOT / AMBASSADOR / JURIST / ORATOR

Joseph Hodges Choate, born in Salem, Massachusetts, was a famous lawyer who litigated many of the most prominent cases in the late 19th century. He allied himself with the Republican Party and was a frequent campaign orator. In 1894 he was president of the New York State constitutional convention. In 1899 he was appointed ambassador to England by President McKinley and held that position until 1905. When World War I broke out he became a fervent supporter of the Allied cause. His death in 1917 was hastened by the physical strain of supporting the British and French commissions in New York.

Herbert Adams was a personal friend of Joseph Choate.

This medal was co-issued by the Century Association and the American Numismatic Society (ANS) in 1922. It was the 44th medal issued by the ANS. It was also the first in a series of medals commemorating men who distinguished themselves in public service.

The medal measures 64mm (2.5in) in diameter. The Medallic Art Company of New York struck 238 pieces in bronze and 98 in silver. Originally the bronze pieces were available for $5 and the silver pieces for $10.

References:   ANS 44, Baxter 224, MACo 1922-022, Marqusee 2

The obverse bears a nude boy with a fishing rod who just caught a little fish and the the first half of an Oliver Wendell Holmes quotation: "OH WHAT ARE THE PRIZES WE PERISH TO WIN."

The reverse bears a jumping trout with the second half of the quote: "TO THE FIRST LITTLE SHINER WE CAUGHT WITH A PIN."

In the artists own words:

"Beneath these whimsical words of the poet runs a vein of seriousness. I have not been unmindful of that undercurrent. A boy fishing is a common sight. But a boy's hopes, aspirations, struggles - these are the things that build the world's epics."

This medal was chosen as the 9th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage is 1,207 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-009, Marqusee 3, SoM 9

The obverse bears an artfully draped couple embracing, woman in foreground. Legend reads OMNIA / VINCIT / AMOR (Love conquers all). The reverse bears the same couple as seen from the other side. Legend reads MAN / -KIND / LOVE A / LOVER. Signed AI /TK / EN.

The brochure which accompanied the medal had the following words from the artist:

"In making a medal or medallion the main problem is to add, if possible, to its metallic alloy the one ingredient which makes bronze imperishable - Beauty - Beauty in thought and execution. For Beauty inspires Love - Love creates Beauty."

This medal was chosen as the 15th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1937. It measures 73mm in diameter and 1,160 pieces were struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Around 100 silver medals were struck from the same dies in the 1970s.

References:   MACo 1930-001-015, Marqusee 4, SoM 15

The obverse bears facing bust of Marshal Foch. Around, COMMEMORATING THE VISIT OF MARSHALL FOCH TO THE VNITED STATES; to left, MCMXXI; to right, A N S with oak leafs.

The reverse presents winged female figure holding shield, between the shields of France to the left and the United States to the right. Signed at lower left, (RA monogram ) / FECIT

Marshal Ferdinand Foch (1851-1929) was a French soldier, military theorist, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied forces in World War I.

The medal was the 43rd issue of the American Numismatic Society (ANS) in 1921 to commemorate Foch's visit to the United States.

Generals Foch and Pershing had coordinated their trips so that they would arrive more or less simultaneously, even though they were sailing on two different ships. Pershing arrived on Friday, October 28, 1921, two hours before Foch arrived on the Paris. He was given a hero's welcome by the entire city.

The medal measures 64mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage is 1 piece in gold, 94 in silver, 205 in bronze and 1 piece in copper.

References:   ANS 43, MACo 1921-006, Marqusee 5

The medal's obverse bears a crowned hawk perched on a dead pigeon. Around, THE DOVES ELECT - A HAWK THEIR KING

The reverse bears a dog seated on rocky outcropping, l., facing its reflection in rippling water. Around, LOSE NOT THE SUBSTANCE FOR THE SHADOW; signed at bottom, E. AMATEIS ©

Amateis selected the fables for "their enduring timeliness and left the interpretation up to the beholder, as best suits his sociological, political, or economic inclinations."

The two fables depicted are:

The Kite, Hawk, and Pigeons

The Pigeons find themselves persecuted by the Kite, made choice of the Hawk for their Guardian. The Hawk set up for their protector; but under the countenance of that Authority, makes more havoc in the Dovehouse in two Days than the Kite could have done in twice as many months.

The story's moral: Tis a dangerous thing for People to call in a powerful and ambitious Man for their Protector; and upon the Clamour of here and there a private Person, to hazard the whole Community.

A Dog and a Shadow

As a Dog was crossing a River with a morsel of Food in his Mouth, he saw (as he thought) another Dog under the Water, upon the very same adventure. He never consider'd that the one was only the Image of the other, but out of Greediness to get both, he chops at the Shadow, and loses the Substance.

The story's moral: All covet, all lose; which may serve for a Reproof to those that govern their Lives by Fancy and Appetite, without consulting the Honour and Justice of the Case.

This medal was chosen as the 21st issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series. It measures 73mm in diameter and has a reported mintage of 921 pieces in silver-plated bronze. Of the 700 authorized silver medals a reported 100 were struck in the 1970's.

References:   MACo 1930-001-021, Marqusee 7, SoM 21

References:   MACo 1924-040, Marqusee 9

The obverse bears kneeling native American brave, peering into distance; behind, grain elevator, air plane, locomotive, powerline and smokestacks. Above, SURELY BUFFALO ADVANCES.

The reverse bears image of Buffalo City Hall. Above, BUFFALO CENTENNIAL; below, 1832 - 1932.

The Buffalo City Hall was completed just one year before the city's centennial. It is one of the largest and tallest municipal buildings in the United States and one of the tallest buildings in Western New York. It was designed by John Wade, chief architect, with the assistance of George Dietel. The friezes were sculpted by Albert Stewart and the sculpture executed by Rene Paul Chambellan. At a guess, one of the two also designed and modeled this medal but I can't be sure.

This medal measures 57mm (2 1/4in) in diameter.

References:   Marqusee 16

References:   ANS 40, Baxter 321, MACo 1919-010, Marqusee 49

The obverse bears five nude youths bearing father's bier. The youngest carries a laurel wreath. Around, IN PEACE SONS BURY THEIR FATHERS; at lower left, BEACH / © 1937.

The reverse bears a gaunt father carrying son's body from the battlefield as vultures circle. Around, IN WAR THE FATHERS BURY THEIR SONS.

The brochure which acommpanied the medal had the following words from the artist:

"The tought of the medal is a simple, universal one when men pause to think straight; for that reason I have designed the medal as of no particular period. The Greeks probably put it most tersely, 'In Peace the Sons bury the Fathers, in War the Fathers bury the Sons.' Are our young men to be buried almost before mature manhood, under long rows of stone crosses, or are they to round out their lives and in turn be buried in reverence by their sons in peace? A thought to keep well before our vision as present war clouds again surround us."

Chester Beach put it well but what were the old and the young men to do when young men in other countries were being led towards war by their leaders?

This medal was chosen as the 16th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1937. Struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York, the reported production quantity of this medal is 941 in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-016, Marqusee 51, SoM 16

This medal's obverse bears worker about to strike snake on anvil with sledge hammer; mobile 8-inch army rifle on reinforced railroad car chassis in the background. Around, PRESENTED BY THE AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY; below, 1917-1918.

The reverse bears Columbia walking l. with palm frond; Statue of Liberty and sun in distance. On left, FOR SERVICE FAITHFULLY RENDERED; lower right, CB - JK.

The medal was presented to the company's employees for their faithful service during World War I. Accompanying the medal was a card containing the following message from William H. Woodlin, the President of the American Car and Foundry Company:

"The enclosed honor medal is awarded as an evidence of the appreciation by this Company of the work by you on its munition contracts, and as a lasting testimonial of the service rendered by you as an industrial soldier in the winning of the great war."

The signature CB - JK inidicates that the medal was a collaboration between Beach and Kilenyi (maybe design and sculpture) but I did not manage to find any evidence supporting the nature of their collaboration. Harry Waterson believes that Beach designed the medal and Kilenyi executed the bas-reliefs. His evidence is that there are design drawings and, according to him, "Beach could draw, Kilenyi couldn't."

This medal measures 63.5mm in diameter and was struck in bronze, silver, and 14k gold by the Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, RI. The silver variant is quite rare and the gold exceedingly rare but no mintages are reported.

According to a book about the company, a combined total of 7,500 pieces in all metals is believed to have been struck.

References:   Marqusee 52