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The Newsletter of Medal Collectors of America Volume 8 Number 4 April 2005 From the Editor 2 Board Members John W. Adams, President John Kraljevich, Vice President My Favorite Electro (John Adams) 2 Barry D. Tayman, Secretary & Treasurer David T. Alexander Robert F. Fritsch My Favorite Medal (Thomas Fitzgerald) 2 David Menchell Scott Miller The Society of Medalists John Sallay Donald Scarinci (David T. Alexander) 4 John W. Adams, Editor Lt. Col. Francois de Fleury 99 High Street, 11th floor Boston, MA 02110 (Alvan Markle) 11 [email protected] When is a Coin a Medal (George Fuld) 12 Barry Tayman, Secretary & Treasurer 5424 Smooth Meadow Way Columbia, MD 21044 Captain Thomas Truxton Medal 15 Btayman@comcast,net David Boitnott, Webmaster Letters to the Editor 16 [email protected] website: medalcollectors.org Editor of Collectors’ Guide, Dick Johnson ([email protected]) Important Dates May 10th – Ford Collection Part IX What’s New On Our Website! June 11th - Kolbe’s Sale of Ford Library II CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE EVERY MONTH July 27th-31st - ANA Convention www.medalcollectors.org From the Editor noble visage and massive coiffure of Sir Christopher. The only medal of this Alan Harlan has suggested (see renowned scientist and architect, the Letters to the editor) that we emulate portrait does full credit to the subject. the highly successful British Art Medal Fittingly, he reverse is an equally Society. The Society’s magazine, The detailed view of Wren’s architectural Medal, is much to be admired and it is masterpiece, St. Paul’s Cathedral. our ambition to take a step in that Destroyed by fire in 1666, the rebuilding direction before long. More immediate of St. Paul’s began in 1675 and was (and easier) opportunities to steal pages completed in 1710. from their playbook would include 1) Medallic Illustration’s describes more membership meetings and 2) the Wren medal as “very rare,” listing periodic sponsorship of art medals by our only the piece in the BM. Thus, Ready’s leading sculptors. electrotyping skills, which reproduce all Dick Johnson has come up with an of the detail in the original down to the exciting venue for a meeting in marks of chasing, has permitted me to Connecticut in the October timeframe. share Gaab’s masterpiece as well as the More about that in the May issue. man he memorializes. Electrotypes can Meanwhile, ye editor intends to draft add an enriching dimension to our hobby. Don Scarinci to chart our course on sponsoring medals. Other members interested in meetings or medals are My Favorite Medal cordially welcome—not one ounce of (by Dr. Thomas Fitzgerald) volunteer energy will be wasted, we promise. A New Basilica By the time Pope Nicholas V was enthroned in 1447, the condition of My Favorite Electro Constantine’s fourth century St. Peter’s (by John W. Adams) Basilica was deplorable. During the past century and a half (a period when the Robert Ready was not the first papacy had taken up residence in artisan to practise electrotyping but he Avignon referred to as the “Great may have been the best. An engraver of Schism”), the old church had been used seals by trade, he was appointed to the as a fortress and sometimes subjected to staff of the British Museum in 1859 siege. There had been extensive damage where he (and later his son) made high by earthquakes as well as from assault quality electrotype copies of some of the and a deplorable lack of maintenance. great rarities in the Museum’s Faced with these attributes of the collections. old church, the pontiff debated the One such is the 1723 memorial wisdom of rebuilding and repairing the medal of Sir Christopher Wren. Executed historic ancient basilica that had long by the German medallist G.D. Gaab, the served Christianity and the popes or original is a massive (102mm) cast, tearing down Constantine’s church and which has been chased to bring out the building a new one in its place. However 2 the pope’s decision to demolish the old to demolish the old basilica. In spite of Constantinian basilica and build a strong opposition from many cardinals, completely new facility came too late in Roman officials and the citizens of Rome, his lifetime. His successors, who were the pope moved ahead with his plans. preoccupied with the urgent affairs of On April 18, 1506, he laid the first stone state and dealing with the constant of the new basilica twenty-five Roman threats of Saracen invasions, did little feet below the pavement of the old more than put off the problem of the run- structure. It was to be the foundation of down church. Each succeeding pope the St. Veronica pier at the southwest continued the process of patching and corner of the crossing. On a block of renewing the old building in the hope white marble Julius inscribed his that the decision to demolish it might be intentions. Under it he placed a pottery deferred to the next reign. For the next vase containing newly minted gold fifty years they procrastinated. ducats and some gold and bronze medals. The pieces display the pope’s effigy on Pope Julius II (1503-1513) the obverses and a view of the new The election of Pope Julius II basilica on the reverses. The occasion brought about a crisis in the history of was marked with a great deal of St. Peter’s. Some decisive action must be ceremony. taken. Unlike his predecessors, Pope Julius did not hesitate to undertake the A Description of the Medal monumental task of demolishing the The medal was the work of the historic basilica and building a Italian medallist Foppa Cristoforo completely new structure. He was well Caradosso (1452-1526 or 1527). He aware of the relative short reigns of worked for a number of wealthy families popes and the lesson of Pope Nicholas V, including Ludovico Sforza and King who died before he could get started the Matthias Corvinus of Hungary. building of a “new” St. Peter’s. Pope Caradosso visited Rome, Viterbo and Julius almost immediately set about the Florence in 1496 and was involved with task. the Mantuan Court as late as 1524. It is important to remember his The medals were struck, it seems, reign coincided with the “High in gold and bronze. These 56mm pieces Renaissance” including an enormous are very rare. There is a bronze increase of wealth to princes and specimen in the holdings of the British potentates. The discovery of the New Museum and one in this author’s World and the subsequent opening of the collection. The obverse of the medal for mines of gold, silver and diamonds led to the corner stone of the new St. Peters an influx of riches from the Americas to Basilica depicts a half-figure of the pope, Europe. The popes’ coffers benefited as facing right and wearing the regal papal much as those of the sovereigns cape. The Latin inscription identifies the throughout Christendom. Julius II had pope, “IVLIVS LIGVR PAPA plenty of revenue to draw upon. SECVNDVS.” Pope Julius II had reigned for just But it is the reverse of this medal over a year and a half before he decided that is so important and informative. 3 This frontal view of St. Peter’s depicts It is to be a non-profit-bearing Bramante’s architectural design. Seen organization with the sole purpose of are the larger and smaller semicircular stimulating an interest in medallic apses whose bases encompass a half- sculpture by issuing to its members each square. At each side are the two tall year two bronze medals created by slender towers. Of course, this does not American sculptors of the highest rank. look familiar to us. The plans were Two different sculptors will be engaged greatly changed by later architects each year, and the designs will cover an resulting in the “porch” entry we know so extensive range of interest, such as well. The inscription reads: “TEMPLI natural history, sport, conservation, PETRI INSTAVRACIO” (Installation of forestry, aviation, architecture and Peter’s Temple) and “VATICANVS.” similar subjects. The invention of new and Note. There have been a number exceptionally accurate machinery makes of smaller medals (36mm) struck in it possible to strike medals to the bronze in the 19th century. They do not quantity of 1,000 or more for a very low carry the inscription on the reverse as cost. The new Society of Medalists’ seen on the original pieces. calculations are hence based upon a minimum of 1,000 members. Annual dues will be $8, to cover satisfactory fees The Society of Medalists for the sculptors, costs of producing the America’s Premier Art Medal Series medals and furnishing a case or frame (By David T. Alexander, Founding President MCA) for each, and all additional expenses, including organization and distribution. The first public notice of a new Four days after the first organization devoted to fostering the art invitations were sent out, nearly 200 of the medal in the U.S. appeared on persons had joined the new society, page 8 of The Numismatist, journal of which would seem to indicate that there the American Numismatic Association in is a definite place for it in the United January 1929: States. The Society of Medalists had its inception at the convention of the “The Society of Medalists American Federation of Arts in An organization for the Washington last May.” stimulation of an appreciation of Later SOM literature attributed medallic art in America has recently founding of the society entirely to George been formed, with headquarters at the Dupont Pratt (1869-1935), a Renaissance American Federation of Arts, Barr man vitally interested in the arts and Building, Washington, D.C. It will be sciences. Pratt was active in the known as the Society of Medalists. The leadership of the Metropolitan Museum organization committee is composed of of Art, American Museum of Natural George D. Pratt, Robert W. De Forest History, Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute, the and Alexander B. Trowbridge. Herbert New York State Conservation Adams and James Earle Fraser are the Commission, Boy Scouts of America and society’s professional advisers. the American Forestry Association. 4 Nothing further was heard of De numismatists, sold me his SOM’s, bought Forest or Trowbridge, or for that matter at time of issue, and so it went. I was of the American Federation of Arts. hooked! Although the convention at which SOM I visited Medallic Art Company’s had its inception according to The Danbury facilities to cover the First Numismatist story took place in May Strike ceremony of Edward Fraughton’s 1928, the official founding date always Ronald Reagan Inaugural Medal for Coin given for SOM in the years following was World in early 1981. Leaving the 1930. The earliest address for the society newspaper in March, I signed on as a in its own literature was the National full-time cataloguer for Johnson & Arts Club Building, 119 East 19th Street Jensen in Danbury. During 1981-83, I in New York City. We can only speculate learned a vast amount about on what became of the federation and the cataloguing, U.S. and world medals and other two cited founders. how not to run a business. All experience The format adopted for SOM has value. shows that Pratt was clearly influenced I was a founding member of the by the Circle of Friends of the Medallion, American Medallic Sculpture Association of which he had been a member. The (AMSA) in 1982 and served on its first basic SOM formula of two fine art governing board. I wrote ``The Art Medal medals per year continued the Circle’s in Twentieth Century America, the First format. Before his death in 1935, Pratt Eight Decades’’ as the introductory essay had the satisfaction of savoring his new in AMSA’s first exhibition catalogue in organization’s first nine medals. 1983. I joined the Society of Medalists in By now I had acquired enough 1974, having acquired my first four SOM SOM’s to discover that dramatic medals in the Fall of 1974. I found that I varieties in strike and patination existed could buy (overpriced) back issues and I was recording these varieties in my directly from the society and promptly mind’s eye as my wife and I drove our bought such issues as Paul Manship’s convoy of impressively large U-Haul Bacchus and my long-sought Jennewein trucks from Danbury to Des Moines, Fame and Glory. I corresponded with Iowa, to join the Kagin organization in SOM Director Mary Louise Cram and 1983. wrote extensively in Coin World about My experience as a collector was each new SOM medal as it was released. now joined by a cataloguer’s matchless We also splashed the Society’s .999 opportunity to handle hundreds of SOM Silver “Restrike” program rather medals. I was surprised to find that next lavishly. to nothing had been written about SOM’s I purchased a large group of in general, other than reprints of their SOM’s from the estate of Dayton dealer brochures in The Numismatist over the Frank Darner, founder of Presidential years. Nothing whatever had been Art Medals Co. Hank Spangenberger and published about varieties. In a H. Joseph Levine provided medals and numismatic world obsessed with the encouragement. Jake Sureck, late intricacies of U.S. coins, Mint marks and lamented dean of Oklahoma 5 die varieties, the medal field was light Why and How years behind. Issued between 1930 and 1992, I returned to New York in 1990, the medals of the Society of Medalists cataloguing hundreds of medals of every (SOM) form an unmatched panorama of era for Stack’s and Coin Galleries. With American medallic sculpture. For six the encouragement of Harvey and Larry decades, the Society released two art Stack, I founded Medal Collectors of medals each year to its members. The America (MCA) at the 1998 Portland, following pages offer an in-depth review Oregon, American Numismatic SOM medals of 1930-1940, each with an Association convention. appreciation of its design and a brief My hope was to make MCA the biography of its sculptor. first successful organization devoted to Accompanying each issue is a the collecting of art and historical catalogue of all varieties known to me of medals, to research and publication patina, planchet dimension and edge about medals and to bringing together mark. No such in-depth review has ever medal collectors throughout the U.S. and been attempted. It is hoped that this Canada with fraternal outreach study will prove of value, both to medal overseas. collectors and admirers of fine sculpture The medal field is now poised for in bas-relief form. rapid growth after a century of neglect. SOM medals’ attractions are legion. Development of the Art Medal Deep philosophical subjects, magnificent Re-invented by Antonio Pisano, designs by America’s greatest sculptors, called Pisanello during the Renaissance, relative availability at reasonable cost the medal’s primary role was should make the series a magnet for new commemorative and historic. Medals collectors. glorified great men of the Italian city- More than 13 years have passed states, recorded their victories, honored since the last regular issue of the Society their spouses and families. The struck of Medalists appeared. A whole medal became an ideal propaganda generation of collectors is maturing vehicle for the wars of religion, or for which may never have heard of SOM. chronicling the victories of such With their many attractions, SOM’s monarchs as Roi Soleil Louis XIV of should take their place beside such France, Britain’s Queen Anne and later already active areas as U.S. Presidential of Napoleon. Inaugural, Betts and U.S. Mint medals. Medals played a significant role in The enthusiastic reception of Paul American numismatic history, as Bosco’s Valuation Guide to SOM issues revealed by a glance into C. Wyllys Betts’ in the premier issue of MCA’s journal, American Colonial History as Illustrated The Medal Cabinet, shows that the time by Contemporary Medals. 19th century, is ripe for this in-depth exploration of American medals recorded history and Society of Medallists’ medals. rewarded excellence. Medals popular with collectors celebrated the careers of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln; U.S. Mint medals 6 recorded the nation’s military, naval and furious adversary called “an act of rare political heroes. shamelessness.” Engravers and die-sinkers such as European organizations dedicated C.C. Wright, Robert Lovett Sr. and Jr., to creating and collecting fine art medals and George Hampden Lovett provided flourished in the early 1900’s. France medals for political campaigns, was home to Les Amis de la Médaille agricultural and industrial expositions, d’Art; Belgium and the Netherlands to hobbyists and history buffs. Tokens of the Societé Hollandais-Belge de la the Hard Times, Civil War and Gay 90’s Médaille d’Art. After World War I this headlined medal-makers Frederick B. group split into separate national Smith, Peter Krider, Joseph K. Davison organizations, the Societé Royale des Sons, the Lovetts and Warners. Late 19th Amis de la Médaille d’Art and the century manufacturers such as Tiffany, Vereeniging vir Penningkunde. Pre-1914 Gorham and the Newark’s Whitehead & Vienna gave birth to the Österreichische Hoag ushered in a new age of the Gesellschaft für Förderung der American medal, still directed toward Medaillenkunst und Kleinplastik. historic and industrial commemoration These groups commissioned and award. Europe’s finest medallic sculptors to A major shift, following the create art medals for their members, an exposure of American sculptors such as idea which crossed the Atlantic with Augustus Saint Gaudens and Victor D. diplomat, journalist, writer and arts Brenner to the European movement, organizer Charles DeKay. Joining forces toward medals as a medium of artistic with medal enthusiast and early ANS expression (though still tied to member Robert Hewitt Jr., DeKay commemoration and wealthy sources of launched the Circle of Friends of the commissions). The New York-based Medallion (COF) in 1909. American Numismatic Society (ANS) COF issued two fine art medals was a significant force in this slow each year, beginning with John unfolding of the art medal. Flanagan’s Hudson-Fulton Medal of The transition toward art as a specific 1909. The series comprised 12 art desideratum in medals was by no means medals, housed in uniform tan cloth- smooth, as the contretemps between bound books offering essays, poems and Saint Gaudens and Charles E. Barber writings relating to the medal topic, over the World’s Columbian Exposition edited by DeKay. COF medals presented Award Medal proves. U.S. Mint Chief historic, commemorative and abstract Engraver Barber sabotaged Saint artistic themes. Attracting some 550 Gaudens’ artistic reverse featuring a members, COF faded away in 1915 after nude youth holding a torch. release of Allan G. Newman’s Joan of Arc Despite Saint Gaudens’ world Medal. reputation, art lost out decisively as the Its membership brought together crabbed Barber callously elbowed artistic sculptors and arts patrons, leaders in concerns aside, substituting his own education and industry. Among these banal reverse of an inscribed tablet was a wealthy New York collector and squashing the Santa Maria in what his arts patron named George Dupont Pratt. 7 Medallic Art Company forged the closest possible links with the The Circle played an important art community, sculptors and art role in the creation and early success of organizations. This relationship Medallic Art Company (MACO), which cemented the firm’s leading position from became the major force in development of the 1920’s on. In time, commemorative the 20th century American medal. This and award medals struck by MACO firm began as a department of Deitsch formed a roster of excellence. Brothers, makers of the die-struck brass The firm struck many Presidential ornaments then de rigeur for ladies’ Inaugural Medals, a succession of State handbags. and local commemoratives. Outstanding French-born Deitsch employees later series medals included the Hall of Henri and Felix Weil brought the first Fame for Great Americans, Presidential Janvier Reducing Machine to the U.S. to Art Medals and its succession of varied create metal handbag accessories, but commemorative issues and most of the this line evaporated with a sudden more significant Bicentennial medals. change in ladies’ fashions. The Janvier It produced many of the nation’s was then put to work reducing sculptors’ most prestigious award medals, models and Medallic Art Co. was born. including Congressional Medal of Honor Among its first commissions was the for Army, Navy and Air Force. Awards COF Hudson-Fulton Medal. for the sciences, commerce, industry and As the Weils were scraping up the professions included the National money to buy Medallic Art from the Medal of Science, the Peabody and Deitsch brothers, the old owners were Pulitzer Prizes, the Caldecott and selling the COF contract to Joseph K. Newberry Awards. Davison’s Sons in Philadelphia. They Born in New York City, Medallic then extorted an additional $1,000 for Art Company was located for many years the MACO name itself. The Weils and on East 45th Street in Manhattan. In MACO struggled on, producing some of 1973, the firm relocated to an ultra- the other fine Hudson-Fulton medals and modern, state-of-the-art facility on Old badges, and getting a pleasant revenge Ridgebury Road in Danbury, by striking the final COF medal in 1915. Connecticut. Ultimately, control shifted Led by Indiana businessman from William T. Louth, nephew of Clyde Clyde C. Trees after 1919, MACO C. Trees to new management led by assumed a commanding position in the Donald Schwartz. world of the medal in the U.S., Beginning in 1966, the medal maintaining its leadership into the world gasped at the meteoric rise of the 1980’s. MACO overtook Whitehead and Franklin Mint and its nationwide blitz of Hoag, a giant of the industry during the coin-relief, Proof surface medals. The first four decades of the 20th century. spectacular merchandizing success of the Whitehead and Hoag cared little Franklin Mint introduced confusion as to for the artistic component of its medals, the exact role of MACO. Relocation to and Art received no star billing or even suburban Connecticut, competition from special mention in any of its surviving the Franklin Mint and internal literature. In contrast, Medallic Art management problems brought MACO 8 far-reaching changes that impacted SOM was launched a few months heavily on SOM. after the great stock market crash of A 1992 press release, sent out October 1929. That its program could under the name of Medallic Art continue through the depths of the Great Company, a Division of Tri-State Mint, Depression is a commentary on the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, reported, strength of the basic concept. The high “Last December, the Connecticut ideals and optimistic spirit of so many of National Bank foreclosed on the the Society’s medallic subjects defied company [MACO] and the corporate anxiety over the state of the nation’s principals voluntarily surrendered the economy, unemployment, bank failures, assets of the company to the bank. In bread lines and pervasive fear. January of this year Tri-State Mint Two new medals appeared each bought the significant assets of the year into the 1990’s, each accompanied company from the bank, including the by a descriptive brochure, the first 12 of Medallic Art name, customer lists, small size and consisting of A Message goodwill, all molds, dies, patterns and from the Artist, later entitled A Message memorabilia.” After nearly a century, from the Sculptor. Several of these were MACO, its traditional clientele and SOM quite lengthy and offered deep faced seismic change. philosophical insights that helped define both art medal and Society. The Society of Medalists The 13th medal introduced larger and Founded in 1930 by George more elaborate brochures featuring a Dupont Pratt (1869-1935), a Renaissance halftone of the medal; artist’s message man vitally interested in the arts and and an extensive biographical section sciences, the Society of Medalists was entitled About the Artist. Sharp-eyed virtually unique in the history of collectors may find it interesting to American art. He obviously patterned compare the side the artist considered to his new society after the Circle of be the obverse to with that sometimes Friends, of which he had been a member. shown in later Society literature. The basic SOM formula of two fine art Medals were housed in cream- medals per year continued the Circle’s colored cardboard boxes imprinted THE format. Before his death in 1935, Pratt SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS in black, had the satisfaction of savoring his new with the number of each medal as in organization’s first nine medals. FIRST ISSUE for earlier releases. Boxes Over the next six decades, SOM and brochures were soon separated from commissioned two bronze fine art medals many medals, making a full set of the each year. Year by year, the Society’s ephemeral descriptive sheets a rarity in program involved most of America’s its own right. greatest medallic sculptors, creating an All but two SOM medals were unequalled treasury of bas-relief art. initially struck in bronze. The exceptions SOM medals are often the only examples resulted from the same World War II of many sculptors’ work that a collector metal shortages that gave America the of average means may hope to acquire. 1943 zinc-steel cents and wartime silver- manganese nickels. Struck in .999 silver 9 were Carl L. Schmitz’ small 1943 Four Artistic quality became an issue Freedoms and Richard Recchia’s larger after the 1950's. Many collectors believe 1944 Art Enduring Medals. Both were that the level of artistic quality of the re-issued in large-size bronze after the first three decades did not continue in war, and the bronze pieces are the 1970’s and 1980’s. Shifting trends in substantially rarer than the silver. American sculpture were projected onto That was not the last association the medal, often to the dissatisfaction of of silver with the SOM. In 1971, the collectors more closely attuned to the Society sought its members’ opinion on a work of an earlier generation of proposal to re-issue its medals in .999 medalists. Here is a classic case of de silver in smaller diameter and lower gustibus non est disputandum, to be relief. A poll of the members showed sure, but this question impacted the greater support for striking silver medals Society’s viability in its later years. in their original size and relief, thereby The take-over of MACO by Tri- utilizing the original dies while State Mint had immediate effect on the maintaining the artistic integrity of each Society. The new ownership stated that issue. it would continue the Society of Only 500 of each issue were to be Medalists series, and Marcel Jovine’s struck in this precious metal. Given the Creation Medal was the first SOM size of SOM medals, each would completed by it. Issue prices rose, and represent a substantial weight of silver. the traditional two-medal format was Society literature used the infelicitous soon effectively abandoned. term “restriking” to describe the silver Although Don Everhart’s Dinosaur program. Elsewhere in numismatics, medals and one large religious art plaque “restrike” has a distinctly pejorative would be issued under the banner of the flavor. “Re-issue” might have been less Society of Medalists, the 60 year-old two- troublesome, for here were SOM issues medal a year format was gone and the appearing for the first time in silver, not Society they had known ceased to exist silver SOM‘s re-appearing through for most collectors. As long-time SOM restriking! Director Joseph Veach Noble told this Silver prices rose relentlessly in writer as he began work on this story the 1970’s, just as SOM began its silver several years ago, ``The Society of re-issues. The explosive increase in silver Medalists is moribund.’’ prices on the 1979-1980 bullion market Paradoxically, the end of the effectively derailed the silver re-issue traditional series makes the Society’s program. Silver’s replay of the “Dutch medals more attractive to many tulip madness” was fueled by the Hunt collectors than they were as part of an brothers’ ill-conceived attempt to corner ongoing, open-ended series. An the silver market. Before the crash and examination of some basics of resulting indictments, bullion madness numismatic collecting may make the saw silver rise to nearly $50 per ounce. It world of the medal more understandable is probable that more than a few silver for these newly interested collectors. SOM’s found their way into the smelter in these hectic months. 10

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