Medallic Art Collector's Selection

The obverse bears bust of Kaiser Wilhelm II with necklace of skulls and iron cross; rifle with bayonett to left. Around, THE FOE OF FREE PEOPLES; below, HIS / ROSARY.

The reverse bears German soldier abducting helpless Belgian woman, callously stepping over child on ground. Around, KULTUR IN BELGIUM; below, MURDER PILLAGE.

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

This medal was clearly a response to German artist Karl Goetz' satirical war medals which depicted the allied side in a bad light. Goetz' medals were reviled by the Allies and caused a huge backlash, particularly his infamous Lusitania medal. Artistically, Goetz was on the leading edge of realism while French, British, and American sculptors were still depicting war in terms of carefully crafted Art Nouveau imagery, the horror of war often represented by an angel of death, a weeping widow or a cemetery.

Manship obviously decided that Goetz' medals deserved retaliation in kind. His medal is a true masterpiece of propaganda art, yet it was received with some ambivalence. The June, 1918 issue of the American Magazine of Arts reported:

"In some of the shop windows on Fifth Avenue, New York, is now to be seen a bronze medal designed and executed by Paul Manship representing the outrages perpetrated by the German army upon women and children in invaded territory, particularly in Belgium. This is offered for sale at $10.00 a piece and puts into permanent form those things which if possible should not be remembered, but if remembered not visualized."

The medal measures 66.2mm (2 5/8in) in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   Baxter 365, MACo 1918-005, Murtha 103

The obverse bears conjoined busts of Belgium's King and Queen facing left. Below, streamer with legend FORTISSIMI - SUNT - BELGAE; at bottom, ANS sigil. Around, KING * ALBERT * AND * QUEEN * ELISABETH * OF * THE * BELGIANS; signed (TSS monogram) in lower left field.

The reverse bears channel seascape with low-flying bi-plane, clouds, and flying bird. Around, COMMEMORATING - THEIR - AERIAL - CROSSING - OF - THE - ENGLISH - CHANNEL - JULY - MDCCCCXVIII; signed below waves, T. SPICER-SIMSON

The medals are edge-stamped MEDALLIC ART CO. N.Y. and inscribed with a number.

This medal was the 37th official issue of the American Numismatic Society. It commemorates the flight of the king and queen of Belgium to England on the occasion of King George and Queen Mary's silver anniversary. The celebrations took place in London on July 6th, 1918.

The latin quote on the obverse is an abbreviation from the opening paragraph of Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War—"(Horum eorum) fortissimi sunt Belgae", meaning "The bravest of these are the Belgians." It is easy to forget that the year was 1918 and World War I was still being fought in Europe. Flying across the Channel by itself was not yet a common endeavor, but doing it during an active war was certainly a display of courage that cold not help but boost morale.

The medal measures 63.8mm (2.5in) and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York in bronze and silver. As with all early ANS medals, the mintage is very low; 1 medal was struck in gold, only 97 medals were struck in silver and 136 in bronze. Originally, the silver medals were sold for $10 and the bronze medals for $5.

References:   ANS 37, Baxter 282, MACo 1918-009, Marqusee 365

References:   ANS 36, Baxter 319, MACo 1918-010, Marqusee 296

The obverse bears bust of Robert P. Perkins in Red Cross uniform, facing left. Around, · ROBERT · P · PERKINS · - · ROMA · MCMXVIII ·

The reverse bears group of mother and three children in center. Around, (cross) AMERICAN (cross) RED (cross) CROSS (cross) IN (cross) ITALY (cross); below, CARITAS; signed above group, · P · M ·

Robert P. Perkins (1862-1924) was president of the Bigelow-Hartford Carpet Company and served as the American Red Cross commissioner in Italy during World War I.

Manship also served in the Red Cross in Italy but nearly died from pneumonia brought on by dreadful weather and a major bout of influenza. He was sent to a hospital in Padua and when he was finally well enough to travel, to Rome, where he stayed at the Grand Hotel, the only one in the city with heat. Manship got to know Perkins while recuperating in Rome.

With this design Manship expressed his gratitude to Perkins and the Red Cross, but also his compassion for the fatherless families left behind in war-torn Europe. The images do not do justice to this medallion's massive presence. The bust rises another 11mm over an already thick base for a total height of 20mm; a typical electronic coin scale will capitulate before the medallion's weight.

This medallion probably represents an early cast of Manship's design and is likely unique. It was most likely cast from his preliminary plaster after he returned to the States. It is larger than the 105mm medallion and differs from that version in legend and signature placement.

The medallion measures 112mm in diameter and was cast in bronze by the artist. It is probably a unique specimen and one of the prize pieces in any collection of 20th Century American Medallic Art.

The medallion's obverse bears figure in bedouin garb, hand over eyes as if to shield them from the sun. Across, TO / GREATER VISION THROUGH / OPTICAL SCIENCE / BAUSCH / & LOMB; around bottom, · CONTINUOUS · CONTROL · OF · EVERY · PROCESS · THROUGH · GLASS · MAKING · AND · SCIENTIFIC · COMPUTATION · TO · FINISHED · PRODUCT · ; signed and dated at bottom over rim, C.A. HAFNER 1919

The reverse bears legend only; across, THIS MEDALLION WAS / CREATED FOR / BAUSCH & LOMB OPTICAL CO. / OF ROCHESTER, N.Y. / BY / FRANK SEAMAN INCORPORATED / MERCHANDISING AND / ADVERTISING SERVICE / NEW YORK; at bottom over rim, GORHAM CO.

This is a simple and beautiful corporate advertising medal that reminds me a little bit of Daniel Chester French's great "Mourning Victory," even though the subject matter is totally different.

The circular medallion measures 89.2mm in diameter, 9mm in thickness, and weighs in at a massive 507g. It was manufactured by the Gorham Manufacturring Company of Providence, Rhode Island. No mintage is reported.

Many thanks to Igor A. Osipov for identifying the artist based on the tiny signature that I could not make out on my medal and providing me with the medal's weight.  My scale only goes to 500g...

The obverse bears a winged female figure representing Victory striding forward to the left, holding a sword wrapped in a palm leaf; a radiant sun in the background. Around: VIXIT - VIVIT - VIVET (Lived, Conquered, Shall Live).

The reverse bears a scroll with fasces behind at center, inscribed: IN MEMORY/ OF ONE WHO/ DIED IN THE/ CAUSE OF/ FREEDOM AND/ HUMANITY. Above, an eagle holding a laurel wreath perches atop the end of a cannon and ball. Around: PRESENTED BY THE CITY OF DETROIT - 1919.

The Society of Arts and Crafts, Detroit, issued memorial medals in 1919 that were given by the City of Detroit to the families of men who lost their lives in the Great War.

An earlier version of this medal, with a less evolved obverse design, is in the Smithsonian Art Museum Collection.

The circular medal measures 70mm in diameter. The Medallic Art Company of New York struck 900 pieces in bronze.

References:   MACo 1919-011

References:   ANS 38, Baxter 182, MACo 1919-003

The medal's obverse depicts standing Liberty with flag and shield bearing American Eagle.  Around, THAT THE WORLD MIGHT BE SAFE FOR DEMOCRACY

The medal's reverse bears sword and laurels with superimposed cartouche.  Around, ∙ SONS ∙ OF ∙ MOUNT ∙ KISCO ∙ NEW ∙ YORK ∙ / 1917 - 1919; across top of cartouche, WORLD WAR; at bottom left, GORHAM CO.

I have not been able to identify this medal's artist or story and would appreciate any information regarding it.

The medal measures 50.7mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Gorham Company of Rhode Island. No mintage is reported.

The medal's obverse bears male figure at right, seated on bench, chin resting on his hand, looking pensively at city's skyline to his left; painter's tools at his feet. Around top right, ARCHITECV-RAL; in exergue, · LEAGUE · ; on bench, N.Y.

The reverse bears female figure, r., holding victor's laurels in outstretched hand and palm fronds in other. Signed at bottom right, H.A. MacNeil / FECIT

The circular medal was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   Baxter 351, MACo 1920-012

The medal's obverse bears female figure guiding a child holding architectural model onward. Across, SCHOOL - ART / LEAGUE - OF / NEW · YORK - CITY; in exergue, FOR · MERIT

The reverse bears a tree or shoot with three branches at top and some new growth at bottom. Across, ART · IN · TRADES / CLUB - MEDAL / AWARD-ED · TO / (inscribed) FRANCES McKENNA; at top, incribed 1926; signed at bottom, G. CECERE

This medal is also called the "Art in Trades Club Medal," after the inscription on the reverse. The circular medal measures 66.5mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island.

References:   Marqusee 106