The octagonal medal's obverse bears bearded male figure rendered in Assyrian style holding scepters or staffs in each hand, seated on ornamented chair, facing right. To his right, arranged in rhombic
shape, (kuneiform) / Α Ρ / Χ Α Ι / Ο Λ Ο / Γ Ι Α / (kuneiform); signed in half circle under bottom kuneiform, A LAESSLE ∙; all surrounded by ornamental border combining Greek, Egyptian, and Assyrianstyles; all bordered by raised rim.
The reverse bears two stylized branches flanking legend, THE / UNIVERSITY ∙ OF / PENNSYLVANIA /
FOR MERIT IN ARCHI / TECTURAL ORNAMENT / 1938 / BRYDEN BORDLEY HYDE
Bryden Bordley Hyde (1914-2001) was a Baltimore architect who became well-known for his efforts in preservation. In 1961 he took apart his family's 22-room, mid-19th-century home, Evesham, and moved it from Govans to Gibson Island. When demolition threatened a Bladensburg mansion built in 1749 and once owned by Dr. David Ross, a surgeon in George Washington's army, Hyde helped dismantle it and rebuild it in Cockeysville. He stuck the 22,000 original bricks back together with mortar made with a historically accurate additive: oyster shells. Both projects brought him awards from the Baltimore chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
He fought in World War II as a captain in the 8th Armored Division and was an avid collector of antiques, a hobby he managed to pursue, according to family lore, even under enemy shelling.
Albert Laessle created a little gem with this medal. He married the medal's design perfectly to its purpose. While no mintage is reported, the bronze variant seems to be pretty rare. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is in posession of a silver variant that came from Albert Laessle's family and is probably even rarer.
The octagonal medal measures approximately 51mm x 51mm and was struck in bronze and silver by Jos. K. Davison of Philadelphia.
Many thanks to Peter James Fowler who took the beautiful images of the bronze medal. He runs two eBay stores at jamcupboard and woodenships7.
