Medals Related to Peace

The medal's obverse bears an allegorical female figure holding a lamp and an olive branch in outstretched arms, standing in front of a globe, clouds below.

The reverse bears two cornucopias arranged like wreath, tied with ribbon at bottom. In center, PAX; signed around lower right, TIFFANY & CO.

The design on the obverse is based on a medal by J.G. Hancock celebrating the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812. 

The circular medal measures 29.1mm in diameter and was issued by an organizing group called the American Peace Centenary Committee. It was struck in sterling silver by Tiffany & Co. of New York.  No mintage is reported. 

There is also a better known larger diameter medal with a different reverse.

Many thanks to the Numismatic Department of the Yale University Art Gallery for their generosity and support in making this medal available to me for research.

The medal's obverse bears an allegorical female figure holding a lamp and an olive branch in outstretched arms, standing in front of a globe, clouds below.

The reverse bears four shields on a raised circular panel, at top, U.S. shield, at bottom, the United Kingdom's. Large PAX in center; dates 18 - 15 above, 19 - 15 below; around,  ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF PEACE AMONG ENGLISH SPEAKING PEOPLES

The design on the obverse is based on a medal by J.G. Hancock celebrating the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812. 

The circular medal measures 64.4mm in diameter and was issued by an organizing group called the American Peace Centenary Committee. It was struck in bronze and silver by Tiffany & Co. of New York.  No mintages are reported. 

There is also a smaller diameter medal with a different reverse.

Many thanks to the Numismatic Department of the Yale University Art Gallery for their generosity and support in making this medal available to me for research.

References:   Marqusee 384

The obverse bears kneeling nude female figure gazing upwards in supplication. At bottom, PEACE; signed at bottom left, EMIL FUCHS

The reverse depicts a fight between two muscular nude male figures, one almost cowering, the other looming above him in almost theatrical pose. WAR inscribed in the exergue; signed at bottom left, EMIL FUCHS

The bottom edge is marked with "PAT PENDING" CARTIER NEW YORK - PARIS - LONDON; numbered 24 on left edge.

This medal was issued by Cartier and struck to commemorate the Treaty of Versailles marking the end of World War I. Miller also notes that

"Fuchs had previously submitted a design to the American Numismatic Society for its Peace medal. The Society eventually awarded the commission to Chester Beach. Although there is no documentation to support this theory, it is possible that this medal reflects that rejected design.

The medal measures 48mm x 70mm and was struck in bronze and silver by Cartier.

References:   Baxter 322, Marqusee 190

References:   ANS 40, Baxter 321, MACo 1919-010, Marqusee 49

The medal's obverse bears female kneeling in field with her hands in the earth, spatula stuckin ground next to her; column of soldiers marching from left to right in background. Across, UNITES / STATES - OF / AMERICA

The medal's reverse bears full basket of vegetables with carrot and pumpkins lying next to it. Around top, NATIONAL · WAR · GARDEN · COMMISSION; in extergue, crossed rifle and hoe; across, THE SEEDS OF VICTORY / INSURE THE FRUITS OF PEACE / 1914 - 1919; signed at lower right, TIFFANY Co

War Gardens were the brain child of Charles Lathrop Pack. He came up with the idea in March 1917 (before the US entered the war) to increase the food supply without increasing the “use of land already cultivated, of labor already engaged in agricultural work, of time devoted to other necessary occupations, and of transportation facilities which were already inadequate to the demands made upon them.”

He organized the National War Garden Commission which included among its members Luther Burbank, representatives of several major universities, and the president of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. The commission publicized the gardens with pamphlets, printed material for newspaper distribution, and colorful, propagandist posters.

The circular medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by Tiffany & Co. of New York.

Many thanks to Ben Burnham for granting me permission to use the images from his eBay store.

The obverse bears man leaning on plow, gazing right toward military cemetery. To left and right, MAN - SEEKS / TO TURN - FROM THE / SAVAGERY - OF WAR; in exergue, 1936 / ©

The reverse bears winged female figure in flight over mountains, holding olive branch. In exergue, PEACE

Stewart's Message from the Artist was very brief:

"In arriving at the subject matter for a contemporary medal, I was guided by the belief that man's voice of protest against war is growing from and inaudible whisper to a resounding concordance, which may bring 'between all men peace and good fellowship.'"

The message was deeply felt and widely shared, yet 1936 was already giving a preview of the violence that was to engulf the world within a few years: Italy concquered Ethiopia, civil war raged in Spain, Japanese aggression against China, the Arab revolt against the British, and of course Hitler's remilitarization of the Rhineland were all portents of a world at strife.

This medal was chosen as the 14th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1936. It measures 73mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company. Its mintage is reported to be 968 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-014, Marqusee 371, SoM 14

The obverse bears five nude youths bearing father's bier. The youngest carries a laurel wreath. Around, IN PEACE SONS BURY THEIR FATHERS; at lower left, BEACH / © 1937.

The reverse bears a gaunt father carrying son's body from the battlefield as vultures circle. Around, IN WAR THE FATHERS BURY THEIR SONS.

The brochure which acommpanied the medal had the following words from the artist:

"The tought of the medal is a simple, universal one when men pause to think straight; for that reason I have designed the medal as of no particular period. The Greeks probably put it most tersely, 'In Peace the Sons bury the Fathers, in War the Fathers bury the Sons.' Are our young men to be buried almost before mature manhood, under long rows of stone crosses, or are they to round out their lives and in turn be buried in reverence by their sons in peace? A thought to keep well before our vision as present war clouds again surround us."

Chester Beach put it well but what were the old and the young men to do when young men in other countries were being led towards war by their leaders?

This medal was chosen as the 16th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1937. Struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York, the reported production quantity of this medal is 941 in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-016, Marqusee 51, SoM 16

The obverse bears kneeling mother with child cowering before Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in sky above; serpent-like gas mask at her knee, castle and ancient ruin in background. In exergue, THE OLD WORLD / 1939; in lower field, E. McCARTAN / ©

The reverse bears mother in 1930s dress with book and child, basket of flowers by her knee, skyscrapers left, forst right, under radiant sun. In exergue, THE NEW WORLD / 1939

At the time this medal was being designed the situation on the European continent had deteriorated so much that all-out war seemed likely. America seemed far-removed from the insecurities and problems that the old world was facing. Americans looked over the Atlantic and were very much disinclined to get involved in yet another Great War. As McCartan wrote in his "From the Artist":

"The broad Atlantic Ocean thankfully isolates is from forces which destroy life and liberty and which impede the normal pursuit of happiness."

Of course, it did not turn out quite the way McCartan and many fellow Americans had hoped. America officially entered World War II in 1941 after already having provided substantial material assistance to its European Allies.

This medal was chosen as the 19th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1939. It measures 73mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported production quantity of this medal is 943 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-019, Marqusee 259, SoM 19

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 shows Peace in flowing tunic hovering on clouds before world globe. Around, WORLD PEACE

The reverse bears dove and olive spray on book, rays behind. Around, PEACE ON EARTH, AMONG MEN OF GOOD WILL; signed below, JK / ©

World War II had finally come to a conlusion and the world was exhausted... and relieved. Kiselewski tried to capture the optimistic attitude that seemed to point towards a future that could only be better than what lay behind. In his "From the Artist" he wrote:

"The war was over; the misery and horror had gone. I have tried to portray a simple and cheerful 'World Peace' which would rest the mind from the dismal past and look only to the bright future."

This medal was chosen as the 33rd issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1946. It measures 73mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its reported mintage is 802 pieces in bronze and 60 in silver.

References:   MACo 1930-001-033, SoM 33