Medals Related to Invention

The medal's obverse bears the original telephone in its wooden frame. Around, THE ORIGINAL TELEPHONE OF / ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL

The reverse bears inscription, IN / COMMEMORATION / OF THE GOLDEN / ANNIVERSARY OF / THE INVENTION OF / THE TELEPHONE BY / ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL / IN 1876 / WHACH WAS THE / BEGINNING OF THE / BELL SYSTEM

Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876 and the company resulting from his invention ruled the telephone market as a monopolist until its breakujp was mandated in 1982.  Since then innovations like VOIP (voice over IP) have started posing existential threats to the remaining phone companies.

The circular medal measures 63.7mm in diameter and was struck in bronze.

This medal is woefully scarcely documented. Neither designer nor mint are known and I could not find any additional information.  Please contact me if you know anything about this medal.

The medal's obverse bears bust of Oskar Barnack facing three quarters right. Around bottom, OSKAR BARNACK - LEICA INVENTOR; at top right, 1879 / 1936; signed under truncation, (J / J. monogram)

The medal's reverse bears laurels and palm frond flanking LEICA / EXHIBIT / AWARD / OF / MERIT; inscribed, 19 / GAIL GORDON / PITTSBURGH / 38

The edge is marked with MEDALLIC ART CO. N.Y. BRONZE

This medal celebrates the life of Oskar Barnack (1879-1936), the inventor of 35mm photography. Barnack was an avid hobby photographer who suffered from asthma. Due to his poor health he had trouble carrying the heavy and bulky camera equipment around with him, so he invented a more portable camera. The Leica brand was born in 1925 when his employer (Ernst Leitz) took a gamble and produced 1,000 cameras for sale to the public. They chose "Leica" as the brand name. The name was derived from Leitz camera.

On the hundredth anniversary of Barnack's birth, World Press Photo instituted the Oskar Barnack Award; this award is now administered by Leica Camera.

The medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1936-010

The medal's obverse bears George Westinghouse, facing right, bent over desk with stylus in his hand. Around top right, GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE CENTENNIAL; across, 1846 / 1946

The reverse bears imagery of industries in which Westinghouse's inventions played a role arrayed around center field; from top left, flight, locomotives, power plants and industrial machines, communications, both wired and wireless. In center field, COMMEMORATING / THE LIFE AND WORK OF / GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE / WHO KNEW THE SCIENTIFIC / USE OF IMAGINATION

George Westinghouse (1846-1914) was an American entrepreneur and engineer based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who invented the railway air brake and was a pioneer of the electrical industry, gaining his first patent at the age of 19. Westinghouse saw the potential in alternating current as an electricity distribution system in the early 1880s and put all his resources into developing and marketing it, putting him in direct competition with Edison's direct current system.

The medal's obverse was designed by Jeno Juszko whereas the reverse was designed by Rene Chambellan.  Juszko was certainly more of a specialist of portraits and Chambellan excelled at machine age imagery, so that was a good co-production.

The circular medal measures 69.8mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1946-029