Exonumia Auction - Maine Antique Digest

Miscellaneous Tokens and Medalsoff La Pallice. (F-G)“This medallion, commemorating the twenty-fifth anniversaryof General Motors, is an example of the Streamlined style thatdominated architecture and design in America from the late 1920sto the end of the 1930s. With its abstracted, teardrop-shaped vehicleform depicted in motion, with the tall wing like element risingfrom its center, the overall effect is one of speed and movement—characteristic of the Streamlined style and appropriate to theautomobile and airplane age. Norman Bel Geddes was trainedas a theatrical set designer but best known for another project forGeneral Motors, the Futurama exhibition at the 1939 New YorkWorld’s Fair. This exhibit, through which visitors were propelledon a giant conveyor belt, depicted a utopian vision of America inthe near future, a world dependent on the speed and efficiency ofthe automobile for work and recreation. Metropolitan Museum ofArt. “ ($800-1000)Lot 478478. GENERAL MOTORS SILVER ANNIVERSARY, 1933.Marqusee 53. 76mm. Silver plated Bronze. Norman Bel Geddes,Sc.. (MACO). Lightly tarnished Uncirculated. The surfaces havebeen highly polished. The obverse presents a classic art decodesign with a large wing projecting from behind the stylizedfront end of a car. The obverse legend reads; legend, TO THEADVANCEMENT OF MOTOR TRANSPORTATION. The pistondesign on the reverse is symbolic of all combustion engines Twoline legends at top and bottom read; COMMEMORATING/ THETWENTY FIFTH/ ANNIVERSARY OF/ GENERAL MOTORSwith the dates 1906 1933 to either side.This is probably the most popular of all art deco medals. Itscrossover interest to automotive collectors also makes it one of themore expensive art deco medals! The website of the New YorkMetropolitan Museum of Art comments on this medal as follows:Lot 479 (reduced)479. PARIS MINT ART DECO AUTO RACING PLAQUE, (1933).CGI3-276B. 52 x 89.5mm. Bronze. Pierre Morlon, Sc. (ParisMint Cornucopia BRONZE edgemark) Polished extremely Finewith the rims a bit rough, but still displayable. The obverse bearsa vignette of a driver and race car traveling to the right. Flyingabove is a winged female figure of Speed pointing the way. A floralborder is to either side. The reverse bears an ornate uninscribedcartouche and a border of laurel. Rare and most popular. We soldan example in our Sale #81 in 2012 for $460.00. (F-G)480. COURAGE PLAQUETTE BY AVARD FAIRBANKS, 1933.Marqusee 134. 89.5 x 59.5mm. Tombstone shaped. Bronze. AvardFairbanks, Sc. (MACO) Uncirculated. Obverse with a muscularhalf length male profile to the left; COURAGE, below. The reverseis inscribed: DEDICATED/ TO ALL/ THOSE WHO HAVE/ THECOURAGE TO / FACE ADVERSITY/ WITH A CONQUERING/139H