Medals Related to Electricity

The obverse bears art deco city scape with factories and skyscrapers surrounding a giant generator building; clouds and sun rays above; house and train engines below. In exergue, * ORDER OF * / MERIT

The reverse bears large silver letter W over palm frond. Around, WESTINGHOUSE AWARD; in lower half, TO / (blank) / WHOM HIS FELLOW / MEN DELIGHT TO / HONOR

The Westinghouse Order of Merit was awarded by Westinghouse Electric Corporation as its highest form of employee recognition. Both management and technical employees were eligible to receive the award.

The cicular medallion has a diameter of 101mm. It was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The mintage is not reported.

References:   MACo 1935-035, Marqusee 110

The plaquette's obverse bears lovingly detailed, massive turbo generator before city skyline. Around cupola top, WORLD POWER CONFERENCE / 1936; across exergue, TURBO-GENERATOR-CAPACITY 160.000 K·W· 1936 / CONSOLIDATED EDISON COMPANY OF NEW YORK, INC·; signed above exergue at right, R. P. Chambellan Sc.

The reverse bears street view of Edison's first generator central station with laurel wreath at top left and tree at right. Across bottom, FIRST EDISON CENTRAL STATION - 1882 / 6 GENERATORS-TOTAL CAPACITY 1200 H·P·

The World Power Conference was conceived by the Scotsman Daniel Dunlop in 1923.  He organized the first meeting which took place in London in 1924 and attracted 1,700 attendees from 40 nations. It was deemed so successful that the conference was established as a recurring event.

In the beginning, the World Power Conference convened on a regular schedule every six years. The Third World Power Conference of 1936 met from September 7th to 12th in Washington, DC.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed the conference on September 11th and used a golden key to activate a small generator at the Builder Dam in Colorado.

In 1968 the name was changed to World Energy Conference and the conferences were scheduled every three years. In 1992 the group changed its name again and became known as the World Energy Council.

The year of 1936 also marked the rebranding of the New York Edison Company to Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. This is probably the reason that this handsome plaquette was issued on the occasion of the conference. From the humble beginnings of the first power plant on Pearl Street in 1882, the company would eventually grow into a behemoth with approximately $13 billion in annual revenue and $47 billion in assets by 2016.

This is a beautiful Machine Age gem by Chambellan. I admit that I am partial to detailed renditions of technology, but Chambellan masterfully combined the machinery in the foreground with a city skyline and subtle sun rays in the background.  The overall effect is pleasing and powerful at the same time.

The plaquette measures 114.4mm x 84.2mm and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1936-042

This medal's obverse bears muscular male figure standing in water, holding back two horses with outstretched arms; clouds and lightning in background.  Around, COMMEMORATING THE DEDICATION OF LIBBY DAM / KOOTENAI RIVER MONTANA - AUGUST 24, 1975; signed over water at right, WEIN, Sc.

The reverse bears two jumping fish above conjoined American Eagle and Canadian Maple Leaf. Above, CONSTRUCTED BY THE / U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS / UNDER THE COUMBIA RIVER TREATY / BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES / AND CANADA

This is a really handsome medal that is somewhat reminiscent of much earlier art deco medals.

The circular medal was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of Danbury, Connecticut.

References:   MACo 1975-152

The medal's obverse bears technician at control station in midst of gigantic turbine wheels and gears.

The reverse bears Westinghouse W logo in center field. Around, CHARLOTTE TURBINE (lighning bolt) GENERATOR PLANT / 1969 - CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF QUALITY - 1989

I am partial to well-down technical designs and I really like this medal's obverse. It is nice to see a corporate commemorative from this period that went beyond the "logo and motto" design.

Any information on the artist would be deeply appreciated.