CALABRO, John (1914-1994) sculptor, medalist.
Born New York, New York, 8 May 1914.
He was the seventh generation of artists; his father was a
stonecutter and as a youth John was surrounded by stone.
Began sculpting age 12, trained at Cooper Union, New
York City, also studied at Academy of Fine Arts, Milan.
Noted for marble, granite, and bronze sculpture, busts in
the round and reliefs. He once completed a 9-foot granite
statue of Saint Peter in 42 days, normally a 2-year task.
His bust of Vice President Nelson Rockefeller is in the
United States Capitol.
Member: National Sculpture Society.
Life member: American Artist Professional League.
Member: Leonardo da Vinci Society, Fort Lee, New Jersey.
Died Northvale, New Jersey, 28 October 1994.
R E L I E F S
n.d. Churchill (Winston) Portrait Relief . . . . . . .
n.d. Crane (E.J.) Portrait Galvano Relief . . . . . . . . MAco G1919M
n.d. Edison (Thomas Alva) Portrait Relief . . . . . . . .
n.d. Lincoln (Abraham) Portrait Relief (possible relief study for
a heroic size Lincoln Statue, now in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
n.d. Roe (Ralph C.) Portrait Galvano Relief . . . .MAco GU2503M
n.d. Toscanini (Arturo) Portrait Relief Plaque . . . . . . . . .
Exhibited: NSS 36th Exhibition Cat AE8 {1969} illus . 65
n.d. Unknown Male Portrait Galvano Relief . . . . ..MAco G1950M
1970 Dayan (Moshe) Portrait Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . .
M E D A L S E R I E S
Democracy in Action Medals:
Born New York, New York, 8 May 1914.
He was the seventh generation of artists; his father was a
stonecutter and as a youth John was surrounded by stone.
Began sculpting age 12, trained at Cooper Union, New
York City, also studied at Academy of Fine Arts, Milan.
Noted for marble, granite, and bronze sculpture, busts in
the round and reliefs. He once completed a 9-foot granite
statue of Saint Peter in 42 days, normally a 2-year task.
His bust of Vice President Nelson Rockefeller is in the
United States Capitol.
Member: National Sculpture Society.
Life member: American Artist Professional League.
Member: Leonardo da Vinci Society, Fort Lee, New Jersey.
Died Northvale, New Jersey, 28 October 1994.
R E L I E F S
n.d. Churchill (Winston) Portrait Relief . . . . . . .
n.d. Crane (E.J.) Portrait Galvano Relief . . . . . . . . MAco G1919M
n.d. Edison (Thomas Alva) Portrait Relief . . . . . . . .
n.d. Lincoln (Abraham) Portrait Relief (possible relief study for
a heroic size Lincoln Statue, now in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
n.d. Roe (Ralph C.) Portrait Galvano Relief . . . .MAco GU2503M
n.d. Toscanini (Arturo) Portrait Relief Plaque . . . . . . . . .
Exhibited: NSS 36th Exhibition Cat AE8 {1969} illus . 65
n.d. Unknown Male Portrait Galvano Relief . . . . ..MAco G1950M
1970 Dayan (Moshe) Portrait Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . .
M E D A L S E R I E S
Democracy in Action Medals:
1974 Richard M. Nixon Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .MAco 1974-164-001
1974 Gerald R. Ford Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MAco 1974-164-002
1974 Constitution Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1974-164-003
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . .CAL 35:24[set/3]; PCA 46:1007[set/3]
American Negro Commemorative Society Series:
1969 Handy (William Christopher) Medal. . . . . . . . . . .FM ANS-11
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . . 1969.178.11971 Armstrong (Louis) Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FM ANS-40
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . . . 1972.48.1
Illustrated: P4 {1978} TAMS Journal 18:3 (June) page .112
Judaic Heritage Society Series:
(120 Medals designed by Oscar Harris; Calabro modeled):
1972 Heine (Heinrich) Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FM JHS-65
Auctions:. . . .CAL 28:297[set/120], CAL 32:1823[set/120];
NAS 72:195[set/120]
National Commemorative Society Series:
1969 Ruth (George Herman Babe) Medal. . . . . . . . . . .FM NCS-54
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . . . 1969.71.1
M E D A L S
1956 London Ontario Canada Diocese Centennial Medal . . .
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . .CAL 35:24[set/3]; PCA 46:1007[set/3]
American Negro Commemorative Society Series:
1969 Handy (William Christopher) Medal. . . . . . . . . . .FM ANS-11
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . . 1969.178.11971 Armstrong (Louis) Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FM ANS-40
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . . . 1972.48.1
Illustrated: P4 {1978} TAMS Journal 18:3 (June) page .112
Judaic Heritage Society Series:
(120 Medals designed by Oscar Harris; Calabro modeled):
1972 Heine (Heinrich) Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FM JHS-65
Auctions:. . . .CAL 28:297[set/120], CAL 32:1823[set/120];
NAS 72:195[set/120]
National Commemorative Society Series:
1969 Ruth (George Herman Babe) Medal. . . . . . . . . . .FM NCS-54
Collection: American Numismatic Society. . . . . . 1969.71.1
M E D A L S
1956 London Ontario Canada Diocese Centennial Medal . . .
1964 da Vinci (Leonardo) Society Medal (designed by
Anthony LePera; obv by Calabro, rev by Ramon
Gordils). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .MAco 1964-036
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . .J&J 8:1578, J&J 10:90, J&J 16:1195
Anthony LePera; obv by Calabro, rev by Ramon
Gordils). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .MAco 1964-036
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . .J&J 8:1578, J&J 10:90, J&J 16:1195
1970 Bob Jones University Memorial Medal. . . . . . . . MAco 1970-037
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 11:1480, J&J 18:787
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 11:1480, J&J 18:787
1970 Panama Canal Honorary Public Service Medal (obv
by Calabro; rev by Ramon Gordils). . . . . . . . . . MAco 1971-001
by Calabro; rev by Ramon Gordils). . . . . . . . . . MAco 1971-001
1970 Schiff (Eugene) Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1970-092
1971 American Chemical Society E.J. Crane Plaquette . . .
1971 American Chemical Society E.J. Crane Plaquette . . .
1971 Central States Numismatic Society 29th Annual
Convention Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1971-045
Convention Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1971-045
1971 Lown (Philip W.) Distinguished Service Medal MAco 1971-064
1972 Bermuda Race Medallion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1972-039
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . J&J 10:1849, J&J 11:986, J&J 18:627,
J&J 21:1662
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . J&J 10:1849, J&J 11:986, J&J 18:627,
J&J 21:1662
1972 Church (Edwain F.) Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1972-146
1972 Columbus (Christopher) Medallion . . . . . . . . . .
Exhibited: NSS 40th Exhibition Cat AE8 {1973} illus . . .71
1972 Columbus (Christopher) Medallion . . . . . . . . . .
Exhibited: NSS 40th Exhibition Cat AE8 {1973} illus . . .71
1973 Cope (Arthur C.) Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. MAco 1973-089
1974 Petrarch (Francesco) 600th Anniversary Medal . MAco 1974-020
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAL 30:396
Illustrated: AF16 (1975) F.I.D.E.M. Catalog (unnumbered)
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAL 30:396
Illustrated: AF16 (1975) F.I.D.E.M. Catalog (unnumbered)
1975 Dartmouth College Robert Fletcher Medal. . . . . .MAco 1975-032
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 11:1431, J&J 18:753
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 11:1431, J&J 18:753
1976 Paine (Thomas) Bicentennial Medal (obv by Calaboro, rev
by Gladys Gunzer; medal mounted in book, reprint of
Paine’s Common Sense) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1976-019
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 8:53
Exhibited: NSS 44th Exhibition Cat AE8 {1977} illus . . .90
by Gladys Gunzer; medal mounted in book, reprint of
Paine’s Common Sense) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1976-019
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 8:53
Exhibited: NSS 44th Exhibition Cat AE8 {1977} illus . . .90
1976 Ridgewood, New Jersey Bicentennial Medal . . . . . MAco 1976-073
S C U L P T U R E
19xx Washington (George) Bust. . . . . .
19xx Einstein (Albert) Bust . . . . . . . . . .
19xx Eisenhower (Dwight) Bust . . . . . . .
19xx Clemens (Samuel) Bust [Mark Twain] . . . . . . .
1984 Rockefeller (Nelson Aldridge) Marble Bust (Calabro’s
plaster model completed 1984; carved in marble by
Vincent Paumbo, 1987; unveiled 1 June 1987) . . . . . . .
Illustrated: 101 White (George) Under Capitol Dome, p . 85
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
Px {1970s} New York Times (date?).
Px {1994}John Calabro, 86, Sculptor, Northvale Artist Was Renowned for Portraits in
Plaster, Granite, Bergen County NJ Record (31 October 1994) [obit].
101 {1997} White (George M.) Under the Capitol Dome, Washington DC: American
Institute of Architects Press (1997) p 85 [Rockefeller bust].
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
M32 {1974} Weber and Bertram, p 88-89.
AF16 {1975} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibition Catalog 16th Congress. Cracow (1975)
unnumbered, unpaged.
P21 {1976} Paine Medal, Rare Book Mark 'Common Sense' Bicentennial. The Art Medalist 2:1 (February 1976) p 1-2; Paine Medal, Facsimile Draw Rave Reviews. 2:4 (July 1976) p 3, illus.
M36 {1977} Johnson (D. Wayne) Johnson & Jensen Specialized Report [Circle of
Friends], Paine book, p 4.
S C U L P T U R E
19xx Washington (George) Bust. . . . . .
19xx Einstein (Albert) Bust . . . . . . . . . .
19xx Eisenhower (Dwight) Bust . . . . . . .
19xx Clemens (Samuel) Bust [Mark Twain] . . . . . . .
1984 Rockefeller (Nelson Aldridge) Marble Bust (Calabro’s
plaster model completed 1984; carved in marble by
Vincent Paumbo, 1987; unveiled 1 June 1987) . . . . . . .
Illustrated: 101 White (George) Under Capitol Dome, p . 85
B I O G R A P I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
Px {1970s} New York Times (date?).
Px {1994}John Calabro, 86, Sculptor, Northvale Artist Was Renowned for Portraits in
Plaster, Granite, Bergen County NJ Record (31 October 1994) [obit].
101 {1997} White (George M.) Under the Capitol Dome, Washington DC: American
Institute of Architects Press (1997) p 85 [Rockefeller bust].
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
M32 {1974} Weber and Bertram, p 88-89.
AF16 {1975} F.I.D.E.M. Exhibition Catalog 16th Congress. Cracow (1975)
unnumbered, unpaged.
P21 {1976} Paine Medal, Rare Book Mark 'Common Sense' Bicentennial. The Art Medalist 2:1 (February 1976) p 1-2; Paine Medal, Facsimile Draw Rave Reviews. 2:4 (July 1976) p 3, illus.
M36 {1977} Johnson (D. Wayne) Johnson & Jensen Specialized Report [Circle of
Friends], Paine book, p 4.