All Medals

References:   CoF 9, Marqusee 327

The obverse bears likeness of Alexander Edward Duncan. Around, COMMERCIAL CREDIT COMPANY / ALEXANDER EDWARD DUNCAN - FOUNDER; to left and right of portrait, 1912 / 1937; signed at lower right (HS monogram).

The reverse bears male nude with horn of plenty, seated, beholding skyline of New York City and sun on horizon. Around, $300,000 - 1912 INVESTED CAPITAL 1937 - $63,500,000; In lower field, ALEXANDER E. DUNCAN - JAMES C. FENHAGEN / WILLIAM H. GRIMES - R. WALTER GRAHAM / ELI C. WAREHEIM - SYLVAN H. AUCHHEIMER / HENRY B. MATHEWS - FRANK M. NICODEMUS / WILLIAM A. KOEGEL - HARRY KRATZ / 1912.

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

The Commercial Credit Company was founded in Baltimore by Alexander E. Duncan and a group of eight businessmen. The company initially lent money to companies using their accounts receivable as security. Starting in 1916, the firm entered the growing field of auto finance, which became an ever increasingly important branch of its business until the 1930s, when the Great Depression caused auto sales to plunge. During this time, the firm bought several debt collection services and consolidated them under the name Textile Banking Co., Inc.

The Commercial Credit Company went through several transformations during its history, which extends to this day. In the 1980s and 90s, the company acquired the Control Data Corporation, Primerica Inc., Action Data Services, Inc., the loan partfolio of Barclays American Financial and Landmark Financial Services Inc.

References:   MACo 1937-033

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 obverse bears bearded portrait of Griswold as Hagen, l., holding a spear. Signed and dated at lower right, © W. D. Paddock 1912

The reverse bears a phrase of music over a wreath. Around, DEBUT · HAGEN - 1912 · / · PUTNAM GRISWOLD ·

Putnam Griswold (1875-1914) was an American opera singer.  Born in Minneapolis, he pursued a business career before discovering his voice at the age of 22. He studied in London, Paris, and Germany and became a regular member of the Berlin Opera. In 1911 he returned to America to sing at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where his Wagner interpretations won over public and critics alike. He died suddenly of appendicitis in 1914, cutting short a stellar operatic career.

The medal was cast by the Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island. No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears female figure and Hermes with caduceus gazing at building; laurels and open scroll at their feet. In exergue, NEW CENTRE MARKET / NEWARK, N.J. / 1923; signed at left edge, KILENYI

The medal's reverse bears city view with cranes and steam shovel in foreground. In exergue, CLIFFORD F. MACEVOY CO. / BUILDERS / NEWARK, N.J.; signed just indside raised rim at 8 o'clock, J. Hansen

The revere was sculpted by V. Joan Hansen, an in-house designer for Newman, and was later reused for the 1925 Chicago Union Station Construction Insurance Medal.

The circular medal measures 63.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the J. F. Newman Company of New York. While no mintage is reported, Harry Waterson estimates it to be around 500 because the medal was a present at a dinner with 500 invited guests.  A bronze uniface variant with a diameter of 62.9mm exists in unknown mintage.

The medal's obverse bears brown trout taking a wet fly shown with V-shaped wake.

The reverse bears a "Parmachene Belle" fishing fly. Signed at lower left, (GP monogram) / ©

This medal was selected as the 47th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1953. After "Boy Fishing", this was the second fishing-themed medal in the series. As the artist wrote in his lengthy comments accompanying the medal:

"Protagonists of the dry fly and the wet fly will still be giving one another an argument on the day of judgement. To be perfectly unbiased, this medal caters to both."

Apparently both sides liked the medal and it was universally well received by the membership.

The circular medal measures 73mm in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Medallic Art Company. The mintage is reported as 834 pieces in bronze and an unknown number of pieces in silver (from a limited edition of 700).

References:   MACo 1930-001-47, SoM 47

The medallion's obverse bears sailor in heavy gear at helm of ship. Around, MARINE NATIONAL EXCHANGE BANK OF MILWAUKEE / 100TH ANNIVERSARY; signed to left of sailor, (JFP monogram)

The reverse bears legend within wreath. At top, 1839 - 1939; below, WISCONSIN / MARINE & FIRE / INSURANCE CO. / 1839 / MARINE NATIONAL / BANK / 1900 / BANK / OF / MILWAUKEE / 1855 /  NATIONAL EXCHNQNGE / BANK / 1865 / CONSOLIDATED AS / MARINE NATIONAL / EXCHANGE BANK / of MILWAUKEE / 1930

The Marine National Exchange Bank of Milwaukee was formed in 1930 through the merger of four different companies, the oldest of which traced its roots back to 1839.  While I am totally speculating, I assume that the merger was a necessity rather than a choice. The Great Depression had just started a year earlier and many financial institutions had come under intense pressure to consolidate or go bankrupt. The Marine National Exchange Bank was finally taken over by Bank One in 1988, not quite making it to its 150th anniversary as an independent entity.

The circular medallion measures 82.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Whitehead & Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey.

References:   Marqusee 227

References:   MACo 1958-046-002

The medal's obverse bears central sun with planets arranged in spiral swirl around; God and Adam from famous creation scene with hands touching over sun; at upper right, circular field with two hands holding swirling universe; around field, What We Can Dream, We Can Accomplish In A New Millenium; decorative border swirl around medal that ends in 2000. Signed along inner spiral edge, S ADAMS

The reverse bears central sun with 2000 inside. Month panels arranged in circular fan around with planets in gaps between.

The design uses layers of creation imagery to depict the complexity of the approaching new millenium.

The circular medal measures 76.2mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medalcraft Mint of Green Bay Wisconsin. No mintage is reported.

References:   Cal MC-2000