artist.shtml biography walker-hancock

Artist Name

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You can click on the medals to see the reverse.

  • Other Towers 1940
    by Walker Hancock
    SOM-22.1
    Deep reddish brown patina
    SOM-22.2
    Graphite brown patina
    SOM-22.3
    Silver

    This medal was chosen as the 22nd issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series in 1940. The obverse bears muscular men raising a fluted pillar. Above, THERE WILL BE OTHER TOWERS; in exergue, (circled 19) FOR THEE TO / BUILD (circled 40); above ground line at left, © HANCOCK

    The reverse bears a shattered oak stump with two hardy well-leafed shoots; sun behind.

    Hancock designed this optimistic medal when the second World War was still young. His message was that renewal and creation will surely follow death and destruction. As he wrote in his message "From the Artist":

    "As the earth renews itself after the ruin of storm, so man must rebuild his towers -material and spiritual- after the wreck of war."

    This medal measures 73mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its reported production quantity is 894 in bronze and 100 in silver.

    SOM-22.1
    Bronze
    73.0mm (2.87in)
    Deep reddish brown patina
    THE SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS TWENTYSECOND ISSUE 1940 - WALKER HANCOCK SCULPTOR
    MEDALLIC ART CO.N.Y. BRONZE
    SOM-22.2
    Bronze
    73.0mm (2.87in)
    Graphite brown patina
    THE SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS TWENTYSECOND ISSUE 1940 - WALKER HANCOCK SCULPTOR
    MEDALLIC ART CO.N.Y. BRONZE
    SOM-22.3
    Silver
    73.0mm (2.87in)
    THE SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS TWENTYSECOND ISSUE 1940 - WALKER HANCOCK SCULPTOR
  • Parke-Davis Award 1957
    WH-PD
    Golden bronze

    The obverse bears a seated, partially shrouded female figure surrounded by bird, shrubs, lamb and fish. Nude man in clouds regarding female figure with hand raised in question. Above to left, NATURA / INTERRO- / GANDA EST; signed W HANCOCK ©

    The reverse bears a microscope above and a hare below legend reading THE PARKE-DAVIS / AWARD / OF THE / AMERICAN SOCIETY / FOR EXPERIMENTAL / PATHOLOGY

    Hancock designed a beautiful medal where the partially shrouded female figure, representing nature, is slowly lifting her veil, seemingly in response to questing man.

    The Parke-Davis Award was established by the American Society for Experimental Pathology, as it was then known, to honor research contributions by members under 40 years of age (changed to 43 in 1992). It was sponsored by the Parke-Davis Company of Detroit, now a subsidiary of Pfizer.

    The medal measures 73mm in diameter and was struck in bronze. No mintage is reported.

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Books & Articles

American Art Medals, 1909-1995 by David Thomason Alexander
David T. Alexander's book can be purchased at the above link. Highly recommended for anyone interested in SOM. I am deeply indebted to him for all the information I used to document the SOM medals on this site.

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