Award Medals

The uniface plaquette bears two female figures flanking a medal with trylon and sphere at top and award badge at bottom. Above, THE WORLD'S FAIR / OF 1940 IN NEW YORK; on badge, SPECIAL / AWARD / OF / MERIT

Julio Kilenyi designed the medals for the World's Fair and this plaque is very reminiscent of his works. Elaine Leotti, a researcher who studied the artists who worked for Whitehead & Hoag, attributed this plaquette to him but Harry Waterson, a dedicated Kilenyi specialist, thinks it unlikely.  I have decided to leave the medal unattributed for now, pending further feedback from the specialists.

The plaquette measures 63.5mm x 88.5mm and was struck in bronze by the Whitehead & Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey.

Chambellan designed this medal for the Allegheny Ludlum Steel company that was formed in 1938 by the merger of the Allegheny Steel Company of Brackenridge, Pennsylvania and the Ludlum Steel Company of Watervliet, New York. In 1996 it became part of Allegheny Technologies. I found a newspaper reference to the medal being awarded in 1946, which dates it to the period between 1938 and 1946. Dick Johnson dates it to 1946.

The obverse bears a bare chested steel worker wearing insulated gloves wielding a long rod, with machinery in the background. Above, THE PRESIDENT'S MEDAL; signed CHAMBELLAN / SC. The reverse bears a branch and a star with the embedded letters A-L. Around, ALLEGHENY LUDLUM AWARD; dedication in center, TO HONOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AND OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT.

This bronze medal has a diameter of 98mm (3 7/8in). It was struck by the Medallic Art Company but it does not bear a maker's mark, maybe due to the chrome plating.

References:   MACo 1946-013

References:   MACo 1947-023

References:   MACo 1949-016

The plaque depicts nude male figure, striding left, bearing torch and palm frond; behind him, rearing Pegasus and disc with SAFETY legend. Around top, ROHM & HAAS SAFETY AWARD; in exergue, AWARDED TO THE EMPLOYEES OF THE / BRIDESBURG PLANT / INTERLPANT SAFETY CONTEST / 1954; signed above exergue at right, RENE CHAMBELLAN SC.

The company was founded in Esslingen, Germany, by Dr. Otto Röhm and Otto Haas in 1907. Haas moved to Philadelphia and began the American side of the business on September 1, 1909, from an office on Front Street, while Otto Röhm remained in Germany to run a company that would eventually become Röhm GmbH.  The American side of the business grew rapidly and its annual revenue in 2008 reached almost $9 billion. In 2009, the Dow Chemical Corporation acquired Rohm & Haas, ending its independence.

The plaque was awarded to Rohm & Haas plants that had achieved outstanding results in attaining the company's objectives in industrial safety.  Usually, this meant an entire year of operations without an accident that caused the loss of work time due to injury. The plaque depicted is dated 1954 and that is the earliest mention of the award I could find.  While I can't know for sure, I would date the plaque to the early 1950's. Any additional information would be appreciated.

The plaque is cast in coppery bronze and measures 273mm x 395mm. No mintage is reported though it was still being awarded in the 1970's, so there must be quite a few of them around.

References:   MACo 1955-054

The medallion's obverse bears a modern sculpture.  Above, THE ART / INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO / MR. AND MRS. FRANK G. LOGAN MEDAL

The reverse bears more abstract sculpture.

The circular medallion measures 81.8mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1956-020