Medals related to the First World War

The medal's obverse bears a military doctor and a nurse standing at invalid soldier's side, hospital building, trees and another nurse with invalid on crutches in background. Signed in exergue, René Baudichon

The reverse bears cross in circle over background of laurel, empty cartouche at bottom.

The circular medal measures 45mm in diameter and was struck in bronze in an unknown mintage.

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Richard Norton, facing right.

The reverse bears legend. In center field, AMERICAN / RED CROSS / AMBULANCE SECTIONS / PRESENTED TO OUR / CHIEF / RICHARD NORTON ESQ / IN TOKEN OF OUR / ESTEEM AND AFFECTION / OCTOBER 1914 / OCTOBER 1917; around, the names of battles in which the unit participated, ALBERT - HEBUTERNE - CHAMPAGNE - VERDUN - CHEMIN DES DAMES

The American Volunteer Motor Ambulance Corps, also known as the Norton-Harjes Ambulance Corps, was an organization started in London, England, in the fall of 1914 by Richard Norton (1872-1918), a noted archeologist and son of Harvard professor Charles Eliot Norton.

Its mission was to assist the movement of wounded Allied troops from the battlefields to hospitals in France during World War I. The Corps began with two cars and four drivers. The service was associated with the British Red Cross and St. John Ambulance.

The "Harjes" part of the name refers to Henry Herman Harjes, a French millionaire banker who wished to help Norton by donating funds and ambulances. When the United States officially joined the war in 1917, the service had thirteen sections of six hundred American volunteer drivers and three hundred ambulances.

For his service, Richard Norton was awarded the Croix de Guerre, the Legion of Honour, and the Order of St. Lazarus. His award of the Cross of the Legion of Honor was the highest award given to any foreigner by France during World War I.

The bronze medal is neither signed nor does it have any mint marks. It is circular and measures 59mm in diameter. No mintage is reported.

This medal's obverse bears the Allied arms on shield over American Eagle. Around, DO · RIGHT / AND · FEAR - NO · MAN; on shield, AD - 1916; on wings, COPYRIGHT / SPICER · SIMSON

The reverse bears American shield with stars and sripes framed by two laurel branches; under stars, APRIL · VI · MDCCCCXVII ·. Around, : THAT · GOVERNMENT · BY ·THE · PEOPLE · SHALL · NOT · PERISH; above and below shield, © / T · S · S; under right branch GORHAM CO.

The motto on the obverse is taken from the inscription of George Washington's dress sword. A limited but unknown number of these large medals were offered at a cost of $20 in bronze and $30 in silver. The medal was conceived by the American Fund for French Wounded with the profits supporting relief work for French soldiers and civilians.

The circular medal measures 63.4mm in diameter (74.8mm with loop) and was struck in bronze and silver by the Gorham Company. No mintage is reported.

References:   Baxter 315, Marqusee 362

The obverse bears softly modeled and beautiful head of Victory (r.), wearing helmet decorated with the lilies of France, the oak leaves of Britain and the pine of the United States. Around, TO COMMEMORATE THE VISIT TO NEW YORK - OF THE FRENCH AND BRITISH WAR COMMISSIONS 1917; signed on collar, D C FRENCH.

The reverse bears allegorical group of three figures. On the right, standing figure of female Liberty holding sword, greeting figures of Joan of Arc and medieval knight representing France and England. Signed at lower right, E.B.LONGMAN / SC. 1917.

The medal is numbered and edge-marked MEDALLIC ART CO. N Y.

The United States officially entered World War I in 1917 and quickly tried to coordinate the war effort with the the European allies. The French and British delegations were first to arrive and were given a spectacular reception. New York mayor John Purroy Mitchel had put together a Committee of Reception that was in charge of organizing the event. As part of the activities, the committee and the American Numismatic Association (ANS) teamed up to issue this commemorative medal. They engaged Daniel Chester French and Evelyn Longman to design the two sides of the medal. Evelyn Longman was one of French's students and the first woman sculptor to be elected a full member of the National Academy of Design in 1919.

Barbara Baxter considers this medal one of French's "most outstanding pieces," the other one being his American Red Cross medal.

This is the 34th official issue of the American Numismatic Society. The medal measures 63.4mm (2.5in) and was struck in bronze, silver and gold by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The mintage is 5 in gold, 109 in silver and 171 in bronze.

Many thanks to the Yale University Art Gallery for permission to use their images of the bronze variant.

References:   ANS 34, Baxter 317, MACo 1917-013, Marqusee 180

References:   ANS 32

References:   ANS 31, Baxter 316, MACo 1917-012, Marqusee 201

References:   Murtha 109

The medal's obverse bears American eagle holding arrows and olive branch in its talons forming body of medal over crossed fasces. At top, ball and cartouche inscribed with VALOR

The reverse bears a scroll for dedication and two protruding bearings, unholed.

While similar to the other decoration designs, this one lacks the cannons, probably meaning that it was intended as a valor decoration applying to the entire armed services rather than just the Army.

It is unknown whether Manship created this design for a commission, a design competition, or independently from a sense of patriotic fervor. Manship certainly was a fierce patriot who did what he could to support the war effort. The exact date for this design is also not known but one of the other designs, an Army Valor decoration, has a sample date of 1918 inscribed on the reverse.  They all date roughly to the end of World War I, probably 1918 or 1919.

The cast bronze measures approximately 91.4mm x 92mm and weighs 341.2g.

The obverse bears line of steel-helmeted doughboys, rifles in hand, with bayonets fixed, about to go over the top. To right, FOR / HUMANITY / 1918.

The reverse bears imaginary portrait of Col. Ephraim Williams, founder of Williams College, on horseback, in the uniform of a Continental Army officer. Around top, E LIBERALITATE E WILLIAMS ARMIGERI 1793; at bottom, THE WILLIAMS MEDAL;

Edge engraved to GOODRICH C. SCHAUFFLER PRIV.

The official description for the medal's reverse is actually a bit incorrect. The medal depicts Williams at Lake George in 1755, so he is in the uniform of a French and Indian War officer, not a Continental officer.

This medal measures 73mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. The college awarded a total of 1726 pieces to Williams men who served in World War I.

References:   Baxter 320, MACo 1918-004, Marqusee 165

The plaquette bears sword-wielding goddess of victory striding left, facing right; behind her, eagle swooping towards left edge where sun is rising. Around top, on scroll, VICTORY; at bottom, ART / WAR / RELIEF

Paul Manship was a fierce patriot and supporter of the Red Cross' humanitarian efforts in Europe. On the U.S. homefront, he was a member of auxiliary 282 of the New York Chapter of the Red Cross, also called "Art War Relief."  That group assisted the war effort by raising funds via the sale of donated art, by creating special patriotic art, and by painting landscape targets for the training of artillery personnel.

Manship's plaquette is a beautiful example of art -deco bas-relief. It usually comes mounted on a black bakelit base and can be found in original bronze or patinated green variants.  It is part of many museum collections world-wide.

The plaquette itself measures 60mm by 76mm and is made of bronze. No mintage is reported.

References:   Baxter 368