All Medals

References:   Cal MC-2000-2

The medal's obverse bears biplane with decorated fuselage labeled "EASTERN AIR TRANSPORT INC. / US MAIL No 19" flying from right to left; in background, route plan with ten stops from Miami to New Brunswick. Around, · 1928 · FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE · 1978 · / EASTERN AIRLINES

The reverse bears companiy's logo at top with multi-line inscription: EASTERN / This 50th Anniversary medallion / contains metal from most of the aircraft / Eastern has flown since the Pitcairn Mailwing / and from the Apollo spacecraft as well. / It commemorates the progress we have made / together over the last 50 years in attaining the / highest standards of air transportation. / It also symbolizes our dedication and commitment to excellence in the future. / Congratulations, / (Frank Borman signature) / Frank Borman / President

Eastern was one of the "Big Four" domestic airlines created by the Spoils Conferences of 1930, and was headed by World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker in its early years. It had a near monopoly in air travel between New York and Florida from the 1930s until the 1950s and dominated this market for decades afterward.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, during the deregulation, labor disputes and high debt loads strained the company under the leadership of former astronaut Frank Borman. Frank Lorenzo acquired Eastern in 1985 and moved many of its assets to his other airlines, including Continental Airlines and Texas Air. After continued labor disputes and a crippling strike in 1989, Eastern ran out of money and was liquidated in 1991.

Before becoming president of Eastern Air, Frank Borman was one of the Apollo 8 astronauts, which might help explain how metal from that spacecraft ended up in the planchets.

The oval medal measures 77.2mm x 62.8mm and was struck in bronze.  Neither mint nor mintage, nor the artist who designed this handsome medal are known at this time.

The medal's obverse bears

The reverse bears

This is the third annual membership medal issued by the Medal Collectors of America.

The circular medal measures 63.6mm in diameter and was struck in silver and bronze. The mintage is reported as 39 pieces in bronze and 17 pieces in silver.

The medal's obverse bears Aesculap, the ancient Greek god of healing, facing left; above, the serpent, traditional symbol of his power; below, Chiron, the centaur who taught him the art of healing; decorative rosettas around.

The reverse bears a caduceus, embellished with plants found in the Albany area; below, Lamp of Enlightenment from the College's seal. Around top, ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE; around bottom, SESQUICENTENARY - (rosetta) MCMLXXXVIII (rosetta); signed over handle of lamp, (MS monogram)

The circular medallion measures 88.2mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Roger Williams Mint of Attleboro, Massachusetts. No mintage is reported.

The medal bears kneeling mother holding infant up into the air for a kiss. Around, · AMERICAN COLLEGE of OBSTETRICIANS & GYNECOLOGISTS; at left, 1951

The style and subject matter tend to make me want to attribute the medal to Abram Belskie, who designed a lot of medals for medical colleges and practitioners and did a lot of his best work in this late art deco style.

The circular uniface medal measures 64mm in diameter and was struck in a greyish metal, probably lead. It is likely a trial strike of a medal I have not yet identified.

The medallion's obverse bears bust of Washington, left, with fasces to his rght, surrounded by thirteen stars. Around top, · GEORGE · WASHINGTON · ; across center, · PATER · - PAT-RIAE · / · M·DC·C·L - XX-XIX · ; signed under truncation, PHILIP · MARTINY · MODELER · DESIGN · AND · / COPYRIGHT · BY · AVGVSTVS · SAINT · GAVDENS ·

The reverse bears spread eagle with American shield on chest at top and coat of arms of New York at bottom left, within ring of stars. Across, TO · COM-MEMORATE / THE · INAV-GVRATION / OF · GEORGE · WASHINGTON / AS · FIRST · PRESIDENT · OF · AMERICA / AT · NEW · YORK · APRIL · XXX / · M·D·C·C·LXXXIX · / BY · AVTHORITY · OF / THE · COMMITTEE / ON · CELEBRATION / NEW · YORK · APRIL / · XXX · /  ·M·D·C·C·LXXXIX ·

The medallion was designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and modeled by his assistant, Philip Martiny. Richard Watson Gilder, a close personal friend of St. Gaudens and member of the medal selection committee, called it "the first medal of real artistic value in this country."

The circular medallions typically measure between 112mm and 116mm in diameter and were cast in bronze, silver and gold by the Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island.

The silver medallions had a reported mintage of ten but only seven are still known to exist. Only one piece was produced in gold and originally owned by J.P. Morgan.

Many thanks to Stacks Bowers Galleries for granting me permission to use pictures of the silver variant.  All rights to the image remain with Stacks Bowers Galleries.

References:   Marqusee 346

References:   ANS 28, Baxter 253

The obverse bears Art Deco image of Bellerophon with lyre riding winged pegasus above sun. Around, ART DIRECTORS CLUB / INCORPORATED 1920.

The reverse bears painter with palette and brush in center. Around center, AWARDED FOR SPECIAL MERIT. Around edge, laurel wreath with (PM monogram) at bottom.

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

Louis Pedlar founded the Art Directors' Club of New York in 1920 in response to the uncertain relationship between advertising art and fine art. Pedlar assembled a group of art buyers, art department managers and layout artists to ponder whether advertising art could be judged by the same stringent standards as fine art.

Obviously the answer was "yes" because Paul Manship was asked to create a medal to be used as an award. Awards were given annually in the areas of black-and-white illustration, color illustration, oil painting, and poster art, though not always in all areas.

An article published in Printers' Ink Monthly outlines the process that was used:

"All mediums were given consideration; black-and-white, flat color, oil painting and decorative design. A rigid standard of selection was enforced, and the 300 pictures shown, selected from many thousands submitted, represented the best there is in advertiding design.

Both the organization and the award still exist but the medal was replaced by a modern cube in the 1970's.

The medal measures 54mm (2 1/8in) in diameter and were manufactured by the Medallic Art Company of New York.

References:   MACo 1921-07, Murtha 139

The medal's obverse bears beagle, facing left; tiny bunny hopping away at left. Above, BEAGLE; below, AKC RECOGNITION 1885; signed at left, R. J. BROWN

The reverse bears Westminster Kennel Club's coat of arms. Around, THE WESTMINSTER KENNEL FOUNDATION

This is one of four medal issued by the Westminster Kennel Foundation featuring different dog breeds.  The other three are poodle, Irish setter, and Saint Bernard.

The circular medal measures 63.4mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York.  No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1973-208-003