Medals have been used since the mediaeval period to commemorate and promote events and achievements. The kings of 18th century France were especially renowned for their use of medals as propaganda struck to 'immortalise and spread their fame' (Sharples, 1990, p8). Medals have been issued to celebrate an endless variety of events at international, national, and local levels. What they share is the portable and hardy nature of their manufacture, and the consequent sense of importance and posterity given to any event or achievement for which the medal was presented or awarded.

The selection of medals in this acquisition reflects the ambassadorial postings of the donors who lived in Europe during the last half of the 20th century - a century of war, peace, and technological advancement. Medals from France are especially frequent in this family's selection and cover internationally significant events such as peace negotiations and reparations/ recovery after post World War II, as well as medals of more local importance. The latter include a commemoration of the Robaix Chamber of Commerce, the Tourcoing Chamber of Commerce, and the centenary of the delainge method of wool removal at Mazamet in France. International telecommunications is another theme seen in this selection. Inevitably for so personal a group, a number of medals of disparate (but family) relevance have made their way into the collection.

Paul Donnelly, Curator, June 2008

Refs:
John Sharples, 'Medals as Art', Museum of Victoria, 1990

Designers and makers unknown. The selection of medals seen in this acquisition reflects the ambassadorial postings of the donor being mainly resident in Europe during the last half of the 20th century - a century of war, peace, and technological advancement reflected in the subjects commemorated.

This selection of medals reflects the postings of the donor's ambassadorial career being mainly resident in Europe during the last half of the 20th century - a century of war, peace, and technological advancement. Medals from France are especially frequent in this family's selection and cover internationally significant events such as peace negotiations and reparations/recovery after post World War II (5, 6 & 12), as well as medals of far more local importance. Of the latter can be counted a commemoration of the Robaix Chamber of Commerce (3), Tourcoing Chamber of Commerce (7), and the centenary of the delainge method of wool removal celebrated at Mazamet in France (8). International telecommunications is another theme seen in this selection (11, 15, 16). Inevitably for so personal a group, a number of medals of disparate (but family) relevance have made their way into the collection (1, 4, 17 to 20).

Medals (20), commemorating peace / commerce / telecommunications, copper-alloy / silver / white metal, used as diplomatic gifts to Australian ambassadorial posts, Europe / China / Australia, 1860-1970

/1-1 Bronze circular medal
Front: Standing figure of Christ flanked by two standing angels and two kneeling devotees above panel with incised dedication to Pierre Henri Gelis and text below and around edge:- C'EST LA LE PAIN QUI EST DESCENDU DU CIEL (ST IHAN VI, 50) / Pierre Henri GELIS / PREM, COMMUNION 9. MAI 1866 CONFIRMATION29 MAI 1867 / DESAIDE-ROQUELAY
Back: Baptismal font on pedestal centred with an angel holding a flower at right and a mother holding a child at left. Sitting on the font are two smaller angels with the left holding a jug and the right holding a cup; both staring towards the rays surrounding a spread-eagled bird. Text:- QUE NE RENANT PAR LEAU ET LE SAINT-ESPRIT N'ENTRE PAS DANS LE ROYAUME DE DIEU (ST IHAN III, 5) / COLLEGE STANISLAS / BAPTEME 11 JUIN 1853 / DESAIDE-ROQUELAY

/1-2 Silver circular medal
Front: Combined building surrounded by trees and sailing galleon upon water. Text:- CONGRESS DE LA F.I.D.E.M / OCTOBRE 1967 / MUSEE MONETAIRE
Back: Four elongated women in differing period costumes each holding a circular coin or medal. Text:- EXPOSITION INTERNATIONALE DE MEDAILLES A PARIS

/1-3 Silver Rectangular portrait medal
Front: Female figure in classical costume holding a caduceus of Hermes sits upon a flying eagle Text:- CHAMBRE DE COMMERCE DE ROVBAIX / PEICNAGE FILATVRE TISSAGE / PROBITAS INDVSTRIA
Back: A bonneted man of possible noble rank on a platform presents an unrolled scroll to men in long robes Text:- 1469 / PIERRE OF RONBONO

/1-4 Bronze circular medal
Front: Oak tree sapling with roots around which is wrapped a ribbon with "tenves grandia" incuse. Text:- UNION CENTALES BEAUX-ARTS APPLQUES AL'INDUSTRIE / THENVES GRANDIA / 1880
Back: engraved at centre MR GELIS-DIDOT / Text:- EXPOSITION RETROSPECTIVE / LES ARTS / DU METAL

/1-5 Bronze circular peace medal
Front: The goddess Athena spears a rock from which spouts an olive bush, Text:- CONFERENCE DE PARIS / 1946
Back: Globe centred on India and featuring Europe, Africa and Australia at centre with an oak-leaf border and six human figures enacting and symbolising a peaceful life and at the top:- PAX (Peace)

The Paris Peace Conference (July 29 to October 15, 1946) resulted in the Paris Peace Treaties of 1947 formally ending World War II and apportioning war reparations. The victorious Allied powers of the United States, United Kingdom, France and the Soviet Union negotiated the treaties for Germany, Italy, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Finland.

/1-6 Bronze circular medal
Front: A pair of hands emerging from scrap metal and holding a cog
Text:- ACCORD DE PARIS 24 JANVIER 1946 / Lay
Back: List of countries to whom awarded reparations (cash compensation) from expenses and destruction suffered in World War II:- ALBANIE *AUSTRALIE / BELGIQUE * CANADA / DANEMARK * EGYPTE / ETATS UNIS * FRANCE / ROYAUME UNI / GRECE / INDE * LUXEMBOURG / NORVEGE * NOUVELLE ZELANDE / PAKISTAN * PAYS BAS / TCHECOSLOVAQUIE / UNION DE L'A FRIQUE DU SUD / YOUGOSLAVIE
Text around border:- AGENCE INTERALLIEE DES REPARATIONS / BRUXELLES

The Paris Peace Conference (July 29 to October 15, 1946) resulted in the Paris Peace Treaties of 1947 formally ending World War II and apportioning the war reparations that this medal specifically commemorates.

/1-7 Silver rectangular (landscape) medal
Front: A male figure in classical costume, pointing to his right with an emblem to his left. Text:- CHAMBRE DE COMMERCE DE TOURCOING
Back: A man presenting fabric to two women in medieval period costume. Text:- FRAME FOIRE & TORROMY / FERYER / (?) / (?)

/1-8 Bronze circular medal
Front: Five coats of arms including Australian, at bottom the coat of arms of Mezamet - a shield with rooster under a row of three bees. Incuse text around border :- CRESCAM ET LUCEBO / CENTENAIRE DE DELAINCE / MAZAMET / 1851 1951
Back: Profile depiction of a fellmonger (skin preparator) at work scraping the wool from the skin of a sheep

"Crescam et lucebo" (I shall grow and I shall shine) is a motto of Mazamet (a small town and commune of south-western France) renowned for its tanning industry and the fermentation method of removing wool from flayed skins (delainge)

/1-9 Silver Prize for Mothers medal
Front: A putti or cherub angel presenting a bouquet of roses with his left hand. The ribbon on the bouquet wraps around his legs. Text:- PRIZE FOR MOTHER'S DAY / INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S DRAWING CONTEST / 1956
Back: Wreath as the border with a flower and (?) on the top of the medal Text:- 1956 / MORINGA SOCIETY FOR PRAISE OF MOTHERS

/1-10 Bronze circular medal
Front: At bottom is reclining female figure surrounded by clouds and leaning against an urn from which spills liquid; behind is a modern building to left and the Eiffel Tower to right. Text:- 1992 - 1962
Back: Two female figures in classical costume facing each other and holding hands over a railway track. Text of large letters:- U I C

/1-11 Bronze circular medal
Front: Aerial depiction of multi-ringed circular building with tower at centre.
Back: (?) Text:- PARIS 963 / MAISON DE LA RADIO DIFFISION TELEVISION FRANCAISE / J A Devigne

/1-12 Bronze circular medal
Front: image of the trans-Atlantic liner, 'Liberte' (the second ship of Germany's speed-duo during WWII on water at a cavalier perspective Text:- CAMPAIGNE GENERALE TRANSATLANTIQUE / "LIBERTE" / LEHAVRE NEW YORK / FRENCH LINE
Back: a semi-clad female figure of Venus standing in the sea on a scallop shell flanked by fish and looking to her right, Venus's spread arms have broken chains at her wrists.
Renamed 'Liberte', the former North German Lloyd flagship was given to France as war reparations. In the days preceding the war, Europa had represented Germany as one of the fastest ships on the North Atlantic, having captured the Blue Riband in 1931 with a record crossing of 27.91 knots. As the Liberte, she would find her place as a flagship successor of the Normandie.
With her funnels repainted in French Line red and black the ship was moved to Le Havre for refitting of her interior finery into the tasteful decor consistent with those ships of the French Fleet.
http://www.ocean-liners.com/ships/europa.asp

/1-13 Bronze circular medal
Front: A portrait of a male figure (Charles Braibant) left side Text:- CHARLES BRAIBANT
Back: A scenic image with a few trees and (?) in the foreground Text:- CAX OPTIMA RERUM / LE RIRE DES DIEUX / LE ROI DORT / E GORBALA / LUMIERE BLEUE / DE (?)

Charles Braibant was a French author and director of the Paris archives in the 1950s

/1-14 50th Anniversary of BIPAR medal
Front: An orthographic perspective of The Arc de Triomphe Text:- CINQUANTENAIRE DU BIPAR / PARIS 30 JUIN 1987
Back: Globe with text:- B.I.P.A.R / BUREAU INTERNATIONAL / ASSURANCES ET REASSURANCES / PRODUCTEURS / 1937 - 1987

BIPAR, the European Federation of Insurance Intermediaries, represents the public affairs interests of insurance intermediaries with European institutions. Founded in Paris in 1937, BIPAR has been established in Brussels since 1989. It is today the official and recognized voice of insurance intermediaries with the European Institutions.

/1-15 Bronze Circular Medal
Front: Image of the Eifel Tower with five beams of light in the background
Back: the text is displayed right in the middle Text:- 1979 - 1989 / SFAC / 17.11.89

/1-16 Silver Circular Medal
Front: globe at centre with a lighting bolt with large letters "U I T" over. Text:- UNION INTERNATIONALE DES TELECOMMUNICATIONS / INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION / UNIĆ?N INTERNACIONAL DES TELECOMMUNICACIONES / 925
Back: "125 covers the medal with "ANS - YEARS - ANOS" in between 2 and 5 Text:- 125 / ANS - YEARS - ANOS
Card enclosed with text (right side):- in 1990 the international telecommunication union celebrated its 125th anniversary / it gives me great pleasure to send you herewith one of the medals struck to mark the occasion / en cette annee 1990, i'union internationale des telecommunications a fete son 125 anniversaire / une medaille ayant ete frappee pour de vous en remettre ci-joint un exemplaire / Pekka Tarjanne / Secretaire general (left side of card):- MEILLEURS VOEUX / POUR LA NOUVELLE / ANNEE . SEASON'S GREETINGS / FELIZ ANO NUEVO / (then equivalents in Russian / Mandarin / Arabic)
Envelope text: S.E. Monsieur Ronald Alfred Walker / Ambassadeur / Mission permanente de l'Australie / Case postale 172 / 1211 GENEVE 19 / UNION INTERNATIONALE DES TELECOMMUNICATIONS /Place des Nations / CH - 1211 GENEVE 20

ITU is the leading United Nations agency for information and communication technologies. As the global focal point for governments and the private sector, ITU's role in helping the world communicate spans 3 core sectors: radiocommunication, standardization and development.

/1-17 Silver Circular Medal
Front: Portrait of Joseph I, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire figure facing right in late 17th century wig and costume Text:- IOSEPHVS ROMANOR ET HVNGAR REX
Back: Text:- SCHONBRUNN / SOL UBI ROMANUS CURIS PERCURRERIT ORBEM HOC PULCHROFESSOS FONTE RELAXAT EQUOS / 1700

/1-18 Bronze Circular Medal
Front: Crude stylised depiction of Ming period section of Great Wall of China, Text: [Great Wall]
Back: Outline of China with caduceus superimposed, Text:- in Chinese and repeated in English: MINISTRY OF PUBLIC HEALTH PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

/1-19 Bronze Circular Medal
Front: Menorah in central circle of text:- FEDERATION / OF JEWISH PHILANTHROPIES OF NEW YORK / (around edge) FELIX M. WARBURG / MEMORIAL AWARD
Back: Text:- PRESENTED TO / MISS EDITH C.BLUM (engraved) / FOR FIFTY YEARS / OF DEVOTED SERVICE / TO FEDERATION / THE COMMUNITY / AND HUMANITY

/1-20 Brass seal medal
Front: Charging knight on horseback depicted as if a wax seal
Back: Text:- ORDER DES GRANDS DUES D'OCCIDENT / E.RONALD WALKER / OFFICIER DE / CHARLES LE TEMERAIRE / 1432 1477 / DIJON

Charles the Bold (1433-1477) was Duke of Burgundy and a French prince and, heir direct descendant and fourth generation of the King of France Jean le Bon and the Duchy of Burgundy.

Made: 1860 - 1970

2008/162/1

1860 - 1970