The medal's obverse bears portrait of Thodore Low De Vinne, half right; de Vinne's signature around edge. Around, THE VNITED TYPTHETAE OF AMERICA / ORGANIZED - 1887; signed at left (JBB monogram)
The reverse bears organization's coat of arms over crossed palm and laurel branches. On streamer across, PRESENTED BY - THE UNITED TYPOTHETAE OF AMERICA / TO; in cartouche, HARRY P. PEARS / SIXTEENTH PRESIDENT / 1902; signed at lower right, DAVISON, PHILA.
The United Typothetae of America was the predecessor organization to Printing Industries of America, Established in 1887, it had no permanent headquarters until 1902 when an office opened in New York City. This medal might well have been awarded to Harry Pears on the occasion of the group's building inauguration.
The medal's sculptor and date are somewhat uncertain. Dick Johnson lists Henry Kirke Bush-Brown as the medal's sculptor and dates the medal to around 1910. Yet the medal is signed with his son James' initials and has an engraved date of 1902. Unfortunately, if James really was the sculptor and the medal really was awarded in 1902 as the engraving suggests, we have another problem: James was only nine years old and could not have designed the medal. Maybe the father designed the medal and the son sculpted it and got to sign it and it was awarded retroactively.
Unless we choose to disregard all information, we are left with a medal dating to between 1900 and 1920 and at least one member of the Bush-Brown family as the medal's sculptor. Maybe a descendent of the artists can shed some light on the mystery. For now, I have given the meal to the son because it bears his signature.
The circular medal measures 63.8mm in diameter and was struck by Davison of Philadelphia. No mintage is reported.