Exonumia Auction - Maine Antique Digest

Miscellaneous Tokens and MedalsMILLION PEOPLE. The reverse has a raised border of smalltelephone receivers around an 11 line inscription within a centercircle. THIS MEDAL/ PRESENTED BY HIS FRIENDS AND/ASSOCIATES IN RECOGNITION OF/ FORTY YEARSSERVICE 1877 - 1917/ TO THE BELL TELEPHONE SYSTEM/AS PIONEER/ BVILDER COVNSELLOR/ CHIEF ON THETENTH ANNIVERSARY/ OF HIS ELECTION AS PRESIDENTOF/ THE AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND/ TELEGRAPHCOMPANY APRIL 30/ 1907 1917.This is a particularly fine portrait of one of the most importantpioneers of the telephone industry. Three years later, AT&T issuedanother portrait medal by Constanzo Luini for the TelephonePioneers of America. Two years after that, the firm engaged A.A. Weinman to execute a portrait medal that was awarded for“Noteworthy Public Service.” The specimen is from our 2002 DanHansen Sale, #602, where it brought $375.75. (H)Bronze. Unsigned, but ascribed to Constanzo Liuni, Sc. ChoiceUncirculated. Obverse with an imposing portrait of Vail withina sunken circle. A raised border is inscribed: THEODORENEWTON VAIL. HE MADE NEIGHBORS OF A HVNDREDMILLION PEOPLE. The reverse has a raised border of smalltelephone receivers around an 10 line inscription within a centercircle. PRESENTED BY THE/ AMERICAN TELEPHONEAND/ TELEGRAPH CO. TO THE TELEPHONE/ PIONEERSOF AMERICA AS A/ MEMORIAL TO HIM WHOSE LIFE/CHARACTER AND INDUSTRY WERE/ AN INSPIRATIONTO THE/ MEMBERS OF THAT SOCIETY/ MONTREALCANADA/ SEPTEMBER 10, 1920.A note in the September 1921 Numismatist cites a letter fromEdmund W. May stating: “At my request Mr. H. B. Thayer,President of the American Telephone and Telegraph Co. haskindly authorized me to present to your Association with hiscompliments, the enclosed medal, struck for the occasion of theseven at Montreal. Each guest at the banquet found one of thesemedals at his plate. Mr. H.B. Thayer was the designer, Mfr.Constant G. Luini the sculptor and die sinker, and John B. Murphy,Inc. the manufacturer.” An AU example in our last sale brought$178.25.445. CANADA. THEODORE NEWTON VAIL - TELEPHONEPIONEERS OF AMERICA MEDAL, 1920. 76.6mm.H126Lot 445 Lot 446446. MANSHIP’S KULTUR IN BELGIUM MEDAL, 1918. Murtha103; Baxter 365. 66.2mm. Bronze. Paul Manship, Sc. (MACO).