The John E. Marqusee Collection

This medal's obverse bears bust of John Hay facing left. At top, JOHN HAY; along bottom, THE ROWFANT CLVB CLEVELAND OHIO; signed to right of shoulder, V.D.Brenner / 1912

The reverse bears seated female figure studying partially unrolled map of China coastline, globe with Pacific ocean and the Americas on desk, books strewn on floor. Around top, OPEN DOOR IN THE FAR EAST

The Rowfant Club was founded in 1892 by members who were "interested in primarily the critical study of books in their various capacities to please the mind of man." Membership was by invitation only.

John Hay was chosen as the subject of this medal because he was a famous diplomat and statesman and a native of Cleveland himself. He had been an honorary member of the Rowfant Club and had died in 1905 after a productive life in public service.

This medal was a gift of Ambrose Swasey, an industrialist and past President of the Rowfant Club of Cleveland, Ohio. Swasey engaged Brenner to create a medal for the Rowfant Club that would be handed to every member upon admission. Swasey obviously liked Brenner's work as he commissioned another medal a few years later to celebrate his company's 40th anniversary.

The medal measures 77mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. A mintage of 170 numbered pieces has been reported.

References:   Marqusee 93

The plaquette's obverse bears draped, torch-bearing youth facing right, climbing uip slope with arm lifted in longing gesture. At top left, NVMEN / LVMEN; signed at bottom right, V.D.Brenner

The reverse bears distant panoramic view of university grounds at top, wreath with garlands at bottom. In 8 lines, · THE · /VNIVERSITY / OF WISCONSIN / COMMEMORATES / · FIFTY · YEARS · / OF SERVICE · TO · THE / COMMONWEALTH / ·  1904  ·

The rectangular plaquette was struck in bronze by an unkown maker from 1904 to 1914 and by the Medallic Art Company of New York afterwards. It measures 42.2mm x 62.5mm. No mintage is reported.

References:   Marqusee 95

References:   ANS 10, Baxter 116, Marqusee 97

The medal's obverse bears a nude woman holding spirited infant with ball. Around, THE DANCE OF LIFE BEGINS EARLY / AND GOES ON.

The reverse bears nude male being pulled and pushed by two contending nude women. Around, WITH PLEASURE - PAIN / AND THE PROTAGONIST; between legs of figures, signature A - S - C / ©.

In this medal Alexander Stirling Calder portrays life as a dance that starts with playful exuberance and continues with experiences both pleasant and painful. It is not up to the dancer to decide how to dance, or even whether to dance. While every person is the protagonist in their own play, the script is continuously being written by others.

This design by Alexander Stirling Calder was chosen as the 17th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series. It measures 73mm in diameter. Struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York, the reported production quantity of this medal is 891 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-017, Marqusee 101, SoM 17

This medal's obverse bears Harvard's coat of arms with VE - RI -TAS on open books surrounded by wreath. Around, ANNO · ACADEMIAE · HARVARDIANA · TRECENTESIMO · - · MDCCCCXXXVI ·

The reverse bears multiline inscription, 1636 · 1936 / OUT OF SMALL / BEGINNINGS GREAT / ER THINGS HAVE / BEEN PRODUSED BY HIS / HAND THAT MADE ALL / THINGS OF NOTHING / AND GIVES BEING / TO ALL THINGS / THAT ARE

Harvard University itself needs little introduction. Founded in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature and named after its first prominent benefactor, John Harvard, Harvard is the oldest and probably most prestigious U.S. university (though Yale University is in eternal contention for the latter.)

Harvard University celebrated the three-hundredth anniversary of the College's founding in 1936 with an elaborate Tercentenary Celebration. The festivities included exhibits, special lectures, summer school courses, and culminated with the Tercentenary Days on September 16-18, 1936. Delegates from other academic institutions and learned societies were invited for the celebration and to participate in symposia discussing their fields. This medal was given as a present to all of the delegates who attended the celebration. The inscription on the reverse is a quotation from William Bradford's History of Plimmoth Plantation.

The circular medal measures 81.9mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported. The medal was also struck in silver, attached to ribbons, and used as a badge by attendees of the Tercentenary Conference of Arts and Sciences. Smaller diameter coins were distributed as well during the conference.

References:   MACo 1936-012, Marqusee 103

The medal's obverse bears a nude with lyre in front of Pegasus; signed GAETANO CECERE 1931.

The reverse bears a grouping of transmission towers, lightning bolts, and wings, surrounded by wreathes and text in concentric circles. Legend reads FOR DISTINGUISHED CONTRIBUTION TO THE RADIO ART | OVER THE COLUMBIA BROADCASTING SYSTEM.

The medal was awarded "for Distinguished Contribution to Radio" and by 1934 only six people had received it. They were: Colonel Charles Lindbergh, Sir John A. Reith, director general of the BBC, Leopold Stokowski, conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Amelia Earhart, Nino Martini, Metropolitan Opera tenor, and Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Antarctic explorer.

The medal is part of many museum collections, including the Smithsonian Institute, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Cornell University Library, which has a beautiful image online.

The circular medallion's diameter is 102mm and it was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1931-017, Marqusee 104

The plaquette's obverse bears conjoined busts of Stockton, Rush, and Witherspoon, facing left. Below, ~ STOCKTON ~ RUSH ~ WITHERSPOON ~ / ~ To ~ commemorate ~ the ~ signing ~ of ~ the ~ / ~ DECLARATION ~ of ~ INDEPENDENCE ~

The reverse bears Nassau Hall with trumpet-playing angel flying above and Princeton seal below. To right of seal, ~ Nassau~ Hall ~ 1776 ~ / ~ PRINCETON ~ 1926 ~; signed faintly at bottom right, G. Cecere

The plaquette measures 89.4mm x 61.7mm and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1926-030, Marqusee 105

The medal's obverse bears female figure guiding a child holding architectural model onward. Across, SCHOOL - ART / LEAGUE - OF / NEW · YORK - CITY; in exergue, FOR · MERIT

The reverse bears a tree or shoot with three branches at top and some new growth at bottom. Across, ART · IN · TRADES / CLUB - MEDAL / AWARD-ED · TO / (inscribed) FRANCES McKENNA; at top, incribed 1926; signed at bottom, G. CECERE

This medal is also called the "Art in Trades Club Medal," after the inscription on the reverse. The circular medal measures 66.5mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island.

References:   Marqusee 106

The medal's obverse bears male and female nudes stretching towards the sky, winged Pegasus rearing at left. Below, signature G. CECERE / © 1933.

The reverse bears twin peaks with a small tree growing at their feet with stars above. Above, concentric two-line legend, THERE IS NO EASY WAY FROM THE / EARTH TO THE STARS.

It was created in the middle of the Great Depression and, in Cecere's own words, symbolizes

"the age-old inner urge of a large portion of humanity - its never-ceasing struggle to free from the bondage of the sordid and material, its aspiration toward a higher place of existence."

He dedicated his medal to "those who are fighting adversities while maintaining a vision of a higher goal."

This medal was chosen as the eighth issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series. It measures 73mm in diameter and had a reported production of 1,287 in bronze and 125 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-008, Marqusee 107, SoM 8

Chambellan designed this medal in the early 1930's for the National Association of Manufacturers.

The obverse bears the Statue of Liberty in the center with light radiating from behind its head. From left to right depictions of the Capitol, orator in front of listening crowd, church, printing press, machinery, and skyscrapers. Above, LIBERTY; signed R. CHAMBELLAN SC.

The reverse bears bowl of fire labeled FREEDOM resting on tripod with legs inscribed REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY, CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY, and FREE PRIVATE ENTERPRISE. Workers and a mother with children in front of smokestacks and buildings. Along rim on left, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS.

This medal expresses the belief in the benefits of a capitalist democracy, with economic freedom being one of the pillars on which freedom rests.

This bronze medal has a diameter of 76mm and weighs 171g. It was struck by the Medallic Art Company in New York.

References:   MACo 1940-064, Marqusee 108