Medals by Organization or Group

The medal's obverse bears three draped female figures in the process of sculpting, drawing, and painting. Around, NATIONAL · ASSOCIATION · OF · WOMEN · ARTISTS; below, . FOUNDED 1889 .

The reverse bears a stylized sun in field at top. Below, AWARDED TO / (empty field) / FOR / (empty field); signed to right of sun, (BP monogram)

The edge is marked MEDALLIC ART CO NY

In 1889 women were still barred from full membership in the male-dominated National Academy of Design. Five women, Grace Fitz-Randolph, Edith Mitchill Prellwitz, Adele Frances Bedell, Anita C. Ashley, and Elizabeth S. Cheever, were finally fed up with the status quo and founded the Women's Art Club. The organization flourished and in 1913 was renamed the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors, reflecting its national influence and the increasing number of women sculptors. Through the 1920s the organization was sponsoring exhibitions nationally and abroad.

In the 1930s membership grew to over 1,000 and the organization opened its Argent Galleries on 57th Street in New York City. In 1941, the organization changed its name again to the National Association of Women Artists.

This medal is a redesign of an earlier version that had the same center image but the earlier name around the obverse's circumference.

The heptagonal medallion measures 70mm from side to side and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its mintage is not reported.

The uniface medal bears head of English Cocker Spaniel emrging from right edge, facing left. Around, ENGLISH · COCKER · SPANIEL · CLUB · OF · AMERICA

The club was founded on June 20, 1936 and incorporated on February 15, 1945. Today, it is a member of the American Kennel Club.

The circular medals measures 70.3mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1942-003

The medal's obverse bears multi-line inscription, 1860 - 1945 / BOSTON / NUMISMATIC / SOCIETY / 85TH ANNIVERSARY; signed (?) at bottom, HS

The medal's reverse bears Society's seal on bottom. Above, SHEPARD POND / 1889-1945 / IN MEMORIAM

Shepard Pond (1889-1945) first became the Boston Numismatic Society's Secreatary in 1924 and quickly traversed the available leadership positions until he was elected President in 1938. He also served as ANA governor for several years.  His transformative leadership brought about the New England Numismatic Association (NENA) and the first election of a woman to a leadership position.

The medal itself is not particularly inspired. Absent a wealthy sponsor, regional numismatic societies rarely had the means to hire famous artists for commemorative medals and 1945 was not exactly an easy year in world history.

The circular medal measures 44.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

The uniface medal bears a bunch of daffodils in various stages of bloom. In exergue, MARYLAND / DAFFODIL SOCIETY; signed at left, (vertical R M H monogram)

According to Dick Johnson, this is the only medal designed by Rachel Hawks.

The medal measures 39.2mm x 63.8mm and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1946-014

The medal's obverse bears three busts, Brunelleschi, left, Michelangelo, facing, da Vinci, right. Around, · MVNICIPAL · ART · COMMISSION · / CITY · OF · LOS ANGELES; across bottom, BRUNELLESCHI / MICHELANGELO / LEONARDO DA VINCI; signed GLADYS LEWIS BUSH / 1946

The reverse is an empty field surrounded by heavily beaded border.

The circular medal measures 75.2mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1946-008

The uniface medallion bears a burning oil lamp surrounded by THE CENTURY / ASSOCIATION and flanked by 1847 - 1947, all surrounded by heavily beaded border.

Carl Paul Jennewein designed this simple and elegant commemorative medallion for the Century Association of New York, a club with a heavy artist presence. 

The circular medallion was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York City. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1947-028

The medal's obverse bears a winged plaque and lots of lext. Around top, THE PORT OF NEW YORK AUTHORITY; at top of center, NEW YORK / INTERNATIONAL / AIRPORT; on plaque, DEDICATION / JULY 31, 1948, followed by long list of names and titles; plaque surrounded by airport statistics.

The medal's reverse bears an aireal view of runway layout with clouds at top and sea at bottom. Around bottom edge, © NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT; signed over shoreline at left, KILENYI

New York International Airport, now known as John F. Kennedy airport, was built to relieve LaGuardia Airport which was overcrowded soon after opening in 1939. Construction began in 1943, and about $60 million was initially spent of governmental funding, but only 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land on the site of the Idlewild Golf Course were earmarked for use.

The project was renamed Major General Alexander E. Anderson Airport in 1943, after a Queens resident who had commanded a Federalized National Guard unit in the southern United States and died in late 1942. In March 1948 the New York City Council changed the name to New York International Airport, Anderson Field, but the common name was "Idlewild" until 1963.

The Port Authority leased the JFK property from the City of New York in 1947 and maintains this lease today. The first airline flight from JFK was on July 1, 1948; the opening ceremony was attended by then U.S. President Harry S. Truman. The Port Authority cancelled foreign airlines' permits to use LaGuardia, forcing them to move to JFK during the next couple of years.

This medal measures 76mm (3in) in diameter and was struck in bronze and silver by the Robbins Company of Attleboro, Massachusetts. A silver variant was part of the Marqusee collection.

References:   Marqusee 226

References:   MACo 1949-016

The uniface medallion bears portrait of Henry L. Stimson, facing left. To his right, (CA) for the Century Association; on banner around bottom, HENRY · L · STIMSON; signed and dated under truncation, MANSHIP / 1950

Henry Lewis Stimson (1867-1950) was an American statesman, lawyer and Republican Party politician. Over his long career, he emerged as a leading figure in the foreign policy of the United States, serving in Republican and Democratic administrations. He served as Secretary of War (1911-1913) under William Howard Taft, Secretary of State (1929-1933) under Herbert Hoover, and Secretary of War (1940-1945) under Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. Stimson served as the Century Association's president from 1937 to 1939.

A galvano of Paul Manship's medallion was used as the model for the Henry L. Stimson medal, which is presented annually to outstanding Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Southern District and in the Eastern District of New York.

The medallion measures around 100mm in diameter and was cast in bronze. It is not known how many medallions were cast.

References:   Murtha 512