The Beaux-Arts Medal in America

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Gustav Killian, facing. Around, * BRONCHOSCOPY * MCMVII * FRONTAL · SINVS · OPERATION *; signed over right shoulder, ·J·E·ROINE· /  ·FECIT·

The medal's reverse bears oil lamp at top.  Around, AMERICAN · LARYNGOLOGICAL · RHINOLOGICAL · AND · OTOLOGICAL SOCIETY; across, · IN · RECOGNITION · OF · HIS · / · LEADERSHIP · / * · IN · * / · LARYNGOLOGY · AND / · RHINOLOGy · AND · / · IN · MEMORY · OF · THE · / · GOODFELLOWSHIP · OF · / · GVSTAV · KILLIAN · / · 1907 ·

The edge is plain.

Gustav Killian (1860-1921) was a German laryngologist and inventor of bronchoscopy.

The circular medal was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. It exists both with a Deitsch Brothers edge mark and with a plain edge. No mintage is reported.

Many thanks to an eBay'er who granted me the right to use the images and wishes to remain anonymous.

References:   Baxter 297, MACo 1907-005

The obverse bears portraits of the seven archbishops who presided over the Diocese of New York during its first century. Archbishop Farley in the center.

The reverse displays a view of St. Patrick's Cathedral in he center; at sides, partial representations if St. Peter's Church of 1808 on Barclay Street and St. Patrick's Church on Mott Street. consecrated in 1815. Four coats of arms entwined in a wreat at the sides.

Edge contains maker's mark, MED. ART CO & (D within diamond);

This medal was issued by both the American Numismatic Society (ANS) and the Catholic Diocese of New York. Only medals which bear edge numbers were issued by the ANS. One medal in gold was presented to Pope Pius X. Silver and bronze medals with the edge number 1 were presented to Archbishop Farley and 100 medals each in silver and bronze (numbered 2-101) were for ANS members. There is an unknown number of silver and bronze medals struck without numbers for the Diocese.

This medal was the 21st official issue of the American Numismatic Society.

The medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. The reported mintage is 1 piece in gold, and 101 each in bronze and silver.

References:   ANS 21, Baxter 299, MACo 1908-002

References:   ANS 24, Baxter 300, Marqusee 333

References:   ANS 22, Baxter 302, MACo 1908-001, Marqusee 336,337

The obverse bears a bust l. of Lafayette in Garde Nationale uniform. Legend below, MARIE JOSEPH PAVL / YVES ROCHE GILBERT DVMOTIER / MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE / MAJOR GENERAL IN THE SERVICE OF / THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / AND NOBLEST PATRIOT OF THE / FRENCH REVOLTION; signed J E ROINE.

The reverse bears Liberty advancing with sword, falgsm eagle, 1776 on rising sun, 1789 in clouds. Dedication below, AD PERPETVAM REI / MEMORIAM / MCMXI (for the everlasting memory of the events); signed J E ROINE.

This medal was the fifth issue in the Circle of Friends of the Medallion series. It measures 47mm x 77mm and was produced by the J.K. Davison Company of Philadelphia. Its mintage is probably known... but unfortunately not to the author of this page.

References:   Baxter 303, CoF 5, Marqusee 335

References:   Baxter 304, MACo 1914-011, Marqusee 338

The medal's obverse bears seated female personification of Liberty at right; the other female figure with her head covered with veil is standing at left, holding a sword; at lower left is kneeling nude male figure. Around, COMMEMORATING · THE. 250 · ANNIVERSARY · OF · JEWISH · SETTLEMENT · IN · THE · UNITED · STATES ·; signed at left edge, ISIDORE KONTI SC ·

The medal's reverse bears standing draped female figure, crowned with laurel wreath, holding tablet inscribed: "1655/1905"; tree and eagle perched upon rock are at upper left; legend in Hebrew above. Signed in exergue, I K 1905

Two medals in gold were presented to the two U.S. Presidents Grover Cleveland and Theodore Roosevelt as part of a ceremony at New York's Carnegie Hall that banker and philanthropist Jacob Schiff had organized in honor of the 250th anniversary of the settlement of Jews in America.

President Cleveland's gold medal sold at auction in 2010 for $69,000.  President Roosevelt's gold medal changed hands in a private sale for an undisclosed amount.

The circular medal measures 76.1mm in diameter. Its mintage is reported as 2 pieces in gold, 36 in silver and 284 in bronze. 

Most of the information about this medal came from here.

References:   Baxter 305

The medal's obverse bears a family scene consisting of father with maiden on his knee and mother holding an infant son in her lap. Above, small I.K.1910 followed by larger "FELICITAS DOMI FOCIQVE"

The reverse bears female in flowing chiton holding a branch, blessing a humble cottage. Above, "THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME"; signed "I KONTI SC"

In the accompanying book de Kay referred to the scene as

"a father telling some tale to the eager maiden who leans against his knee, the mother listening as she contemplates the little son in her lap..."

He further commented:

"In all ages the family as a unit of happiness and harmony has had its enemies, chiefly men and women who have made a failure of their own domestic lives. But at present the attacks are more hidden and herefore more insidious than ever before... the rage for movement and travel adds to a widespread discontent with the uneventful calm of the home. Massing of populations in towns makes domestic life difficult, while general unrest and dissatisfaction continue to increase, along with a wealth of comforts and luxuries unknown before."

He was also deeply troubled by the women's suffrage movement and the challenge it posed to the "relative position of the sexes" but concluded:

"Members of the Circle who hold one opinion or another will be likely to agree that family affection and the love of the home are worthy of a medal in the projected series."

The circular medallion measures 70mm in diameter and was struck both by the nascent Medallic Art Company and Jos. K. Davidson of Philadelphia. No mintages are reported.

References:   Baxter 307, CoF 2, Marqusee 231

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

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