LOUTH, William Trees (1926-2006) medal manufacturer,
president, Medallic Art Company (1961-76).
Born Kokomo, Indiana, 25 February 1926.
Joined Medallic Art immediately after military service,
serving under his uncle, president of the firm, Clyde C.
Trees (q.v.). Louth became salesman, advertising director,
then vice president before the death of Trees, after which
he assumed the presidency.
He greatly influenced medallic art in America for over a
decade, supported the high artistic standards for the firm
while introducing medallic innovations; his leadership
dominated the field, up to and including the American
Bicentennial with the greatest outpouring of medallic art
since the centennial celebrations of the birth of Abraham
Lincoln.
At the urging of Art in America magazine, museum
curator Edward Bryant (representing the modern art field)
and William Louth (representing medallic art production),
initiated in 1965 a series of seven creations, the first ever
medallic objects. The seven works of art by modern artists
were issued in galvano form, twelve to fifteen inches in
size; two were selected to be diestruck medals, the same
two issued as jewelry pins in gold, all forms produced by
Medallic Art Company. The modern artists included:
Chryssa, Roy Gussow, Constantino Nivola, Harold
Tovish, Ernest Trova, Elbert Weinberg, and James
Wines (qq.v.).
Louth was also instrumental in revitalizing American
interest in collector series. He created, with Robert
Friedberg of Coin and Currency Institute, a series
of Hall of Fame Medals by famed American sculptors
beginning in 1963 (much like his uncle's creation of
The Society of Medalists 33 years earlier). He invented a
lady's convention medal (of lighter weight and smaller size)
1969 and included this size in a four-medal collector set he
devised for the American Numismatic Association.
In 1966 he was educational speaker at the convention
of the American Numismatic Association in Chicago.
In his speech he asked for the return of term "art medal"
for those medallic items which met certain standards.
The term, originally invented in 1914, had fallen into
disuse, but the field responded and used it ever since.
Also in 1966 he was named to the United States Assay
Commission by president Lyndon Johnson . He mounted
his Assay Medal after making a galvano of the reverse to
showboth sides of the medal, Julian AC-110, by Frank
Gasparro and Phillip Fowler). The framed medals were
sold in a Presidential Coin and Antique auction (10
December 2005) lot 532.
When the honorary group of former commissioners,
O.T.A.C.S., was created he was named Chief Coiner
(president) and donated their annual meeting medal
personally designing the first three issues.
He sold the company in January 1972 but remained as
president until he retired from Medallic Art Company
in 1977. In 1997 he relocated from Connecticut to
Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
TIMELINE OF THIS LISTEE’S LIFE EVENTS AVAILABLE.
Died 17 November 2006, Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
M E D A L S E R I E S
Old Time Assay Commissioner Soc Meeting Medal Series:
president, Medallic Art Company (1961-76).
Born Kokomo, Indiana, 25 February 1926.
Joined Medallic Art immediately after military service,
serving under his uncle, president of the firm, Clyde C.
Trees (q.v.). Louth became salesman, advertising director,
then vice president before the death of Trees, after which
he assumed the presidency.
He greatly influenced medallic art in America for over a
decade, supported the high artistic standards for the firm
while introducing medallic innovations; his leadership
dominated the field, up to and including the American
Bicentennial with the greatest outpouring of medallic art
since the centennial celebrations of the birth of Abraham
Lincoln.
At the urging of Art in America magazine, museum
curator Edward Bryant (representing the modern art field)
and William Louth (representing medallic art production),
initiated in 1965 a series of seven creations, the first ever
medallic objects. The seven works of art by modern artists
were issued in galvano form, twelve to fifteen inches in
size; two were selected to be diestruck medals, the same
two issued as jewelry pins in gold, all forms produced by
Medallic Art Company. The modern artists included:
Chryssa, Roy Gussow, Constantino Nivola, Harold
Tovish, Ernest Trova, Elbert Weinberg, and James
Wines (qq.v.).
Louth was also instrumental in revitalizing American
interest in collector series. He created, with Robert
Friedberg of Coin and Currency Institute, a series
of Hall of Fame Medals by famed American sculptors
beginning in 1963 (much like his uncle's creation of
The Society of Medalists 33 years earlier). He invented a
lady's convention medal (of lighter weight and smaller size)
1969 and included this size in a four-medal collector set he
devised for the American Numismatic Association.
In 1966 he was educational speaker at the convention
of the American Numismatic Association in Chicago.
In his speech he asked for the return of term "art medal"
for those medallic items which met certain standards.
The term, originally invented in 1914, had fallen into
disuse, but the field responded and used it ever since.
Also in 1966 he was named to the United States Assay
Commission by president Lyndon Johnson . He mounted
his Assay Medal after making a galvano of the reverse to
showboth sides of the medal, Julian AC-110, by Frank
Gasparro and Phillip Fowler). The framed medals were
sold in a Presidential Coin and Antique auction (10
December 2005) lot 532.
When the honorary group of former commissioners,
O.T.A.C.S., was created he was named Chief Coiner
(president) and donated their annual meeting medal
personally designing the first three issues.
He sold the company in January 1972 but remained as
president until he retired from Medallic Art Company
in 1977. In 1997 he relocated from Connecticut to
Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
TIMELINE OF THIS LISTEE’S LIFE EVENTS AVAILABLE.
Died 17 November 2006, Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
M E D A L S E R I E S
Old Time Assay Commissioner Soc Meeting Medal Series:
1965 OTACS First Meeting Houston Medal (designed by
Louth, modeled by Patrick Whitaker, struck by
Medallic Art Co) . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1965-069-001
Auctions:. . . . . . J&J 8:1611, J&J 13:615; PCA 56:1688
Louth, modeled by Patrick Whitaker, struck by
Medallic Art Co) . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1965-069-001
Auctions:. . . . . . J&J 8:1611, J&J 13:615; PCA 56:1688
1966 OTACS Second Meeting Chicago Medal (designed by
Louth, modeled by Ramon Gordils, struck by Medallic
Art Co). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1965-069-002
Auctions:. . . . . J&J 8:1612, J&J 16:1791; PCA 56:1689
Louth, modeled by Ramon Gordils, struck by Medallic
Art Co). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1965-069-002
Auctions:. . . . . J&J 8:1612, J&J 16:1791; PCA 56:1689
1967 OTACS Third Meeting Miami Beach Medal (design by
Louth, modeled by Joseph Kiselewski, struck by
Medallic Art Co) . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1965-069-003
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 8:1613, PCA 56:1690
Groups:
Among Group of 14 O.T.A.C.S. Badges:
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 56:1700
Portrait medal of Louth by Gilroy Roberts:
1964 Louth (William Trees) Portrait Medal . . MAco 1964-152
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
Mss {1961} Trees (R. Stella) The Trees Family History. Kokomo, Indiana (1961) p 65-66; war record, p 9.
Px {1965} Bryant (Edward) Relief Sculpture in Limited Editions: Christmas For Connoisseurs
Art in America 53:6 (December-January 1965-66) p 38-44, 136, illus.
PR {1974} William T. Louth To Recieve Golden Plate Award. Medallic Art Company press release.
Louth, modeled by Joseph Kiselewski, struck by
Medallic Art Co) . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAco 1965-069-003
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . J&J 8:1613, PCA 56:1690
Groups:
Among Group of 14 O.T.A.C.S. Badges:
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 56:1700
Portrait medal of Louth by Gilroy Roberts:
1964 Louth (William Trees) Portrait Medal . . MAco 1964-152
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
Mss {1961} Trees (R. Stella) The Trees Family History. Kokomo, Indiana (1961) p 65-66; war record, p 9.
Px {1965} Bryant (Edward) Relief Sculpture in Limited Editions: Christmas For Connoisseurs
Art in America 53:6 (December-January 1965-66) p 38-44, 136, illus.
PR {1974} William T. Louth To Recieve Golden Plate Award. Medallic Art Company press release.