Artist Name

This medal was chosen as the 18th issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1938.

The obverse shows wood duck preening, new fern fronds uncurling in background. Around, CONSERVE WILD LIFE; in lower right, signed G.K.LATHROP / ©

The reverse bears a kneeling pronghorn with large barrel cactus behind.

Gertrude Lathrop was an early environmentalist. She was deeply concerned with preserving wilderness and wildlife and railed against inhumane traps, farmers who killed predators, the use of furs in fashion, indiscriminate use of poisons, and the slaughter of entire species of birds and animals.

She chose the wood duck because it was endangered by the draining of wetlands and the pronghorn because by 1938 the only exemplars to be found lived on reservations.

The medal measures 73mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its reported mintage is 1,025 pieces in bronze and 100 in silver.

This medal's obverse bears hyacinth stem with two large leaves. Around, AMY ANGELL COLLIER MONTAGUE MEDAL; signed around lower right, G K LATHROP

The reverse bears flower in center panel, surrounded by four dolphins. Around, THE GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA - · CIVIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD · engraved to LOUISE BUSH-BROWN / 1955

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

The Garden Club of America was founded in 1913 to provide an umbrella for the many gardening organizations that were active at the time. Among many other activities, it awards several medals for achievement in different areas. The Amy Angell Collier Montague Medal is awarded for outstanding civic achievement. This particular piece was awarded in 1955 to Mrs. James Bush-Brown for originating the Garden Association of Philadelphia, starting with flower boxes for the flowerless in low rent housing areas.

With this medal Gertrude K. Lathrop demonstrated once again her marvelous skill at depicting plant and animal life in medallic form.

The circular medal measures 76mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References: MACo 1950-015

This was the second of the prestigious Brookgreen Gardens member medals, issued in 1974.

The obverse bears reclining stag before flowering plants. Signed in exergue at right, G K LATHROP

The reverse bears bird, possibly a crossbill, perched on cone, working to extract seeds from it. Around, BROOKGREEN / GARDENS

The medal measures 76mm in diameter and was produced by the Medallic Art Company.