Society of Medalists

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

The obverse bears muscular men raising a fluted pillar. Above, THERE WILL BE OTHER TOWERS; in exergue, (circled 19) FOR THEE TO / BUILD (circled 40); above ground line at left, © HANCOCK

The reverse bears a shattered oak stump with two hardy well-leafed shoots; sun behind.

Hancock designed this optimistic medal when the second World War was still young. His message was that renewal and creation will surely follow death and destruction. As he wrote in his message "From the Artist":

"As the earth renews itself after the ruin of storm, so man must rebuild his towers -material and spiritual- after the wreck of war."

This medal was chosen as the 22nd issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1940. It measures 73mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its reported production quantity is 894 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-022, Marqusee 199, SoM 22

The obverse bears head of mother with closed eyes holding her child with long hand supporting head. Along left and right edges, PRO / PATRIA

The reverse depicts Prometheus chained to rock at ankles and wrists, attacked by eagle. At top, left, and right, PRO / HVMANI / TATE (mark composed of crossed flaming torches over bar); signed below, Joseph E. Renier. Sc. / ©

Renier dedicated this medal to "all those who contriute their something to life." He wrote in the medal's brochure:

"The underlying theme of this medal is the devotion of womanhood and manhood to country and to humanity. "

1941 was the year America officially entered World War II and the theme of "sacrifice" and "devotion" was lay heavily on people's minds. Prometheus' "For Humanity" applies to the legen just as it applied to how American's saw their involvement in the war.

This medal was chosen as the 23rd issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1941. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York which struck 849 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-023, Marqusee 330, SoM 23

The obverse bears polar bear on floe, flying snow geese behind. In upper field, ARCTIC; around, * GREELY * BARTLETT * PEARY * BYRD *

The reverse bears group of four penguins on ice. Around, * PALMER * WILKES * BYRD * ELLSWORTH *; below, ANTARCTIC / E.F.S / ©

Springweiler described his thoughts in the brochure accompanying the medal:

"In creating this medal I was thinking of another world, a silent and cruel one, the regions around the poles of our globe, the endless icewastes, the land of midnight sun."

While stressing the barren and cruel nature of the polar reaches, he praised the men who had set out to explore them and commemorated their names on the medal.

This medal was chosen as the 24th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1941. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company. Its mintage is reported to be 999 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-024, Marqusee 369, SoM 24

The obverse bears lazy man asleep under stylized tree, blazing sun overhead, snail in sleeper's shadow at left. Below THOU SLUGGARD; at lower edge of figure, J. de Coux ©

The reverse bears three ants communicating with antennae amid grass. Around, GO TO THE ANT CONSIDER HER WAYS / (thistle) AND BE WISE (sunflower)

Janet de Coux based her medal on Proverbs 6:6:

Go to the ant, thou sluggard;
Consider her ways, and be wise;
Which having no chief,
Overseer or ruler,
Provideth her meat in the summer,
And gathereth her food in the harvest.
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?
When wilt thou rise out of thy sleep?
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep:
So shall thy poverty come as a robber,
And thy want as an armed man.

This medal was chosen as the 25th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1942. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York which struck 767 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-025, Marqusee 116, SoM 25

The obverse bears kneeling nude youth holding an airplane model in right hand, left hand on propeller; sun at left horizon. To right, date and signature 19 (circled BP) 41 / ©

The reverse bears dove in flight over fleecy clouds. Below, FLIGHT

Brenda Putnam wrote in the brochure accompanying the medal:

"Although this medal is issued during a preiod when the entire world is engaged in a gigantic struggle on land, at sea, and in the air, the theme of the medal is not warlike. The lad is no warrior, and the bird no eagle. Rather does the design concern itself with man's creative struggle to win supremacy in a vast new region, -the air. The war proves only too well the appalling destructive power of fighting and bombing planes. But beyond the war -and there will surely be a beyond- there are infinite possibilities for constructive and humanitarian activities in man's conquest of the air."

This medal was chosen as the 26th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1942. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York, which struck 759 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-026, SoM 26, Marqusee 326

The obverse bears elephant feeding on sapling gripped in its trunk. To right, AFRICA

The reverse bears water hole with zebras and warthog drinking, gnu walking away at right. Above, WATER HOLE; at lower right, A.H.H. ©

Huntington had already achieved fame for her equestrian and animal sculptures when she completed this medal for the Society of Medalists. She picked an animal wildlife subject and executed it beautifully.

This medal was chosen as the 27th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1943. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York which struck 747 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-027, Marqusee 207, SoM 27

References:   MACo 1930-001-028, SoM 28, Marqusee 350

The obverse bears herm-type male bust facing upward against massive stylized wings. Around, ALL - PASSES ART ALONE ENDURING STAYS TO US; in lower left field, THE BUST / OUTLASTS / THE / THRONE; in exergue, THE COIN TIBERIUS; at left, incuse, R.H.RECCHIA / ©

The reverse bears nude youth leaping with outstretched arms into starry sky; hills clouds, and rays in background. Around, TOO LOW THEY BUILD WHO - BUILD BENEATH THE STARS

This medal is one of the two war-time SOM medals that were originally struck in silver because copper was largely dedicated to war needs. Apparently, 57 50mm-diameter pieces were struck in bronze but even long-time collectors have not seen any. Some were later struck in the 1970's.

Recchia drew his own inspiration for this medal from poetry, namely Austin Dobson's "Ars Victrix' for the quotes on the obverse and Edward Young's "Night Thoughts" on the reverse. Recchia wrote in the brochure accompanying the medal:

"The bust ... shows the man's mind stretching upwards, to and beyond the flight of the wings of imagination and passing time and depicting man's dreams of seeking higher realms of inspiration."

Recchia's combined message was devoid of war-time propaganda and very humanistic at its core. Or maybe the very fact that it was so humanistic made it a very effective war-time message for an audience that was fighting for the survival of western civilization.

On a personal note, this is the medal that inspired me to become a medal collector when I first saw it on display at the Yale University Art Gallery. To this day, it remains one of my favorite art medals.

This medal was chosen as the 29th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1944. It was first produced in 50mm and was struck in silver by the Medallic Art Company of New York. OVerall, the reported production quantity of this medal is 891 small-diameter silver, 57 small-diameter bronze, 150 large-diameter bronze, and 100 large-diameter silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-029, Marqusee 329, SoM 29

The obverse bears "High Iron" workers on a steel beam dangling from a crane. To left, RIGGERS; on steel beam circled MY monogram.

The reverse bears two steel workers riveting a vertical beam while a third heats the rivets. Below, RIVETERS, signed MAHONRI YOUNG / ©.

Young had been sketching and modeling laborers and workers since his early days in Paris. The unsentimental depiction of manual labor was one of his passions, so it should not have surprised anyone that he chose constructions workers as the subject of his Society of Medalists contribution. He modeled no fewer than three designs for selection by the committee.He had observed the transformation of New York from old brownstone houses to skyscrapers when he lived in New York City in 1912.

This medal was chosen as the 30th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1944. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its reported production quantity is 713 pieces in bronze.

References:   MACo 1930-001-030, Marqusee 413,414, SoM 30