All Medals

References:   Murtha 472

References:   MACo 1930-001-087, SoM 87

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 medal's obverse bears standing Athena/Minerva holding shield with one hand and oil lamp on pedestal with the other. In exergue, NATURAE SPECIES RATIOQUE

The medal's reverse bears six portrait busts, each surrounded by a wreath and labeled with last name: LAPHAM / PECKHAM / CHAMBERLIN / HOY / IRVING / ALLEN; below, THE WISCONSIN ACADEMY OF / SCIENCES ARTS AND LETTERS / 1870 - 1920; signed in bottom right corner, LC

The Latin phrase on the obverse translates to "Nature and her law." Athena, or Minerva in her Roman incarnation, is the goddess of wisdom and together with the oil lamp symbolizes the quest for knowledge and understanding.

References:   MACo 1920-003

The plaque bears portrait of Frank H. Krusen, facing right. Above, · FRANK · H · KRUSEN · M · D · ; below, · 1960 ·

Frank H. Krusen (1898-1973) was an American physiatrist. He is regarded as a "founder" of the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. He founded the first Department of Rehabilitation at Temple Hospital in 1928.

This plaque is not signed and not listed in Murtha's reference on Manship's works, but it comes from the artist's estate and the is unmistakably a Manship work.  Gilroy Roberts designed a Krusen medal for the Connecticut Society of Physical Medicine in the same year.  Maybe Manship submitted this design to the Society and they picked Roberts' or maybe he just wanted to honor him separately, unrelated to the Society's medal issue.

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

The medal's obverse depicts the allegory of the blind man and the lame, the seeing-eyed younger man carried on the blind man's shoulders, legs dangling uselessly to one side; thorny thistles to one side.  Around top, AIDONS-NOUS MUTUELLEMENT: LA CHARGE DES MALHEURS EN SERA PLUS LEGERE; signed around lower left, G. DEVREESE. 1916.

The reverse bears enameled red cross shield over laurels. Around top, CROIX ROUGE DE BELGIQUE; across, SECOURS AUX VICTIMES / DES INONDATIONS / 1925 - 1926 / -.- / TEMOINAGE / DE RECONNAISSANCE

The story of the blind man and the lame helping each other became popular in France during the 18th century and is frequently attributed to Aesop, though there is little evidence to support this claim.  The legend around the top translates roughly to: "Let us help each other: the burden of misfortune will be lighter."

Eastern Belgium experienced heavy snowfall during December of 1925, followed by heavy rains in early 1926.  As a consequence, the Meuse River Valley in the Walloon region of Eastern Belgium experienced heavy flooding and there was a wide-spread aid effort in which the Belgian Red Cross played a crucial role.

This medal was given to aid donors and helpers as a token of recognition. The circular medal measures 70mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears view of One IBM Plaza in Chicago, Illinois.

The reverse bears legend, One / IBM Plaza / Dedication / September 20 / 1972 / Chicago / Illinois

This very bare medal is actually quite interesting in its minimalist design. The building is of course an ugly 1970's sky-scraper, but the artist chose to forgo the traditional perspective rendering and instead go for an architectural view of the building.

I appreciate this medal as a fairly unique piece of architectural memorabilia.

The circular medal measures 64mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

This medal's obverse bears bust of John Hay facing left. At top, JOHN HAY; along bottom, THE ROWFANT CLVB CLEVELAND OHIO; signed to right of shoulder, V.D.Brenner / 1912

The reverse bears seated female figure studying partially unrolled map of China coastline, globe with Pacific ocean and the Americas on desk, books strewn on floor. Around top, OPEN DOOR IN THE FAR EAST

The Rowfant Club was founded in 1892 by members who were "interested in primarily the critical study of books in their various capacities to please the mind of man." Membership was by invitation only.

John Hay was chosen as the subject of this medal because he was a famous diplomat and statesman and a native of Cleveland himself. He had been an honorary member of the Rowfant Club and had died in 1905 after a productive life in public service.

This medal was a gift of Ambrose Swasey, an industrialist and past President of the Rowfant Club of Cleveland, Ohio. Swasey engaged Brenner to create a medal for the Rowfant Club that would be handed to every member upon admission. Swasey obviously liked Brenner's work as he commissioned another medal a few years later to celebrate his company's 40th anniversary.

The medal measures 77mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. A mintage of 170 numbered pieces has been reported.

References:   Marqusee 93

The uniface medal bears bust of Theodore Roosevelt, r. Signed and dated above shoulder, J E / FRASER / 19 © 20; at lower right, MDCCCLVIII / MCMXIX· / ··

This small medal is one of many designs that bear Fraser's Theodore Roosevelt bust.  It was obviously a very popular design!  I could not locate this particular medal in any of the literature I have, so any information would be welcome.

The circular medal measures 38.1mm in diameter.