COLLECTION GUIDES

1913-1983

Guide to the Collection


Collection Summary

Title: Hallowell Davis medals
Dates: 1913-1983
Physical Description: 48 medals in 1 box
Call Number: Medals, personal--Davis
Repository:
Massachusetts Historical Society
1154 Boylston StreetBoston, MA 02215library@masshist.org

Abstract

Medals collected by and awarded to Dr. Hallowell Davis.

Biographical Sketch

Hallowell Davis was born 31 August 1896, the son of Horace A. Davis, an attorney, and Anna Norwood Hallowell. He attended Harvard University (B.A., 1918; M.D. 1922) and Trinity College, Cambridge (1922), where he trained in electrophysiology. In 1923, Dr. Davis began his career as an instructor in Harvard's Physiology Department, eventually serving as its acting director from 1942-1943. In 1947, he became the director for research at the Central Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis and served on the faculty of Washington University as professor of otolaryngology and physiology. During his long career, Dr. Davis concentrated his research on the central nervous and auditory/physiology areas, which led him to develop machines to measure hearing through the brain's response to sound and to develop standards both for testing hearing and the development of hearing aids. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1948 and received the National Medal of Science from President Gerald Ford in 1976. Davis died in St. Louis in 1992 at the age of 95.

Davis was involved in many U.S. and international professional organizations and his personal medal collection reflects these activities.

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Sources

Galambos, Robert. Hallowell Davis 1896-1992: A Biographical Memoir (Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 1998) http://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/memoir-pdfs/davis-hallowell.pdf

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Collection Description

Hallowell Davis's personal collection of 48 medals, including high school and college sports and social club medals, and a wide variety of international physiology and audiology congress medals and pins.

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Acquisition Information

Gift of Margaret L. Winslow, 2017.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Box 1#1
Ville de Paris medal, 1974.Maurice Delannoy, engraver.Silver, 50 mm, in original presentation case.

Obverse: Fluctuat nec Mergitur. Reverse: Ville De Paris. Engraved: "Paris a Hallowel Davis 1974."

Box 1#2
Université de Bordeaux II medal, 1983.Unidentified engraver.Bronze, 68 mm.

Engraved on verso: "Professeur H. Davis Decembre 1983."

Box 1#3
Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri fob, 1973.Unidentified engraver.Gold, 20 mm.
Box 1#4
Harvard Aesculapian Club medal, 1922.Townsend Thorndike, designer.Bronze, 35 mm red and gold ribbon.

Reverse engraved: "Chapter / 1922 / Hallowell Davis."

Box 1#5
Senior Broad Jump, second place ribbon, Country Day School, Newton, 1913.N.G. Wood & Sons.Bronze, 37 mm, suspended from blue ribbon.
Box 1#6
International Physiology Congress (Edinburgh) pin, 1923.Fattorini & Sons.Silver with blue enamel, 29 mm.
Box 1#7
Phi Beta Kappa medal, 1918.Unidentified engraver.Silver, 30 x 35 mm.

Engraved: "Hallowell Davis '18."

Box 1#8
American Medical Association (Cleveland) pin, 1941.Greenduck Co.Gilt metal, 28 mm sq.
Box 1 #9-10
International Physiological Congress (Edinburgh) medal, 1923.Charles Pilkington Jackson, engraver.Bronze, 38 mm, in original case.

Obverse: William Harvey 1578-1657.

Box 1#11
Harvard Delta Kappa Epsilon / Institute of 1770 medal, 1918.Dieges & Clust.Sterling silver, 42 mm.

Engraved on verso: "H. Davis '18."

Box 1#12-13
XIV International Congress of Physiology (Rome) medal, 1932. R. Brozzi, engraver.Bronze, 50 mm, in original box.

Obverse: Lazzaro Spallanzani 1729-1799 around profile bust.

Box 1#14
2nd International Neurological Congress (London) badge, 1935.J. R. Gaunt, engraver.Pewter, 32 x 48 mm.

Obverse: J. Hughlings Jackson 1835-1935 around portrait bust.

Box 1#15
Philharmonic Symphony Society, City of New York 100th anniversary medal, 1942.Unknown engraver.Bronze, 35 mm.
Box 1#16
Hiroshima University medal, 1956.Unidentified engraver.[Silver? with gold], 73 mm.
Box 1#17
Instituto Mexicano de la Audicion y el Lenguaje X Aniv. fob, 1961.Unidentified manufacturer.Silver with black & white enamel on white leather tag, 40 mm H x 24 mm W.
Box 1#18
Sigilium Com. St. Emiliani MCXCIX lapel pin, 1948.Arthus Bertrand, engraver.Bronze, 40 x 36 mm.
Box 1#19
Cambridge University sports medal, 1922.Munsey & Co., Ltd.Bronze, 50 mm, in original case.
Box 1#20
Milanese commemorative medalet, 1923.Unidentified maker. Gold, 26 mm, in original case.

20th c. fantasy after Italian ducats. Alternate title: Sts. Ambrose, Gervase and Protase of Milan.

Box 1#21
Professeur Georges Portmann medal, 1970?Josette Hébert Coëffin, engraver.Bronze, silver gilt, 60 mm, in original case.
Box 1#22
23rd International Congress of Physiological Sciences (Tokyo) medal, 1965.Drs. K. Uchiyama & S. Hirose designers; Ando Cloisonné Co. Ltd., manufacturers.Bronze, 60 mm, in original case.
Box 1#23
S. Civitatus de Fribvrg in Brisgavi medal, 1960-1970?Manufactured by Hermann Eitzen, Historische Siegel.Cast bronze, 60 mm, in presentation case.

Alternate titles: Freiburg/B. Stadsiegel 1431; Freiburg City Seal.

Box 1#24
Bergamo 100th anniversary medal, 1960. L. Monti, engraver.Bronze, 45 mm, in original case.

Obverse: "'Nullo Cucchi Piccinini Erano Bergamo.' G. Garibaldi" surrounding three male profiles. Reverse: "Bergamo Citta dei mille. 1860 1960."

Box 1#25
University of Chicago Collegium fob, 1967.Loren Murchison & Co.Gold with white enamel, 17 mm.
Box 1#26
15th International Physiology Congress (USSR) medal, 1935.Unidentified engraver.Bronze, 65 mm, in original case.

Alternate title: Ivan Mikhaylovich Sechenov medal.

Box 1#27
13th International Physiology Congress (Boston) medal, 1929.Joseph M. Miller, engraver; Medallic Art Co. manufacturer.Bronze, 50 mm, in original box.

Obverse: William Beavmont AD 1785-1853 around profile bust.

Box 1#28
Trinity College, Cambridge, Athletic Club medal, [ca. 1922-1923].Unidentified engraver.Bronze, 50 mm, in original case.
Box 1#29
Harvard 300th anniversary badge, 1936.Arthur Graham Carey, engraver.Silver on green grosgrain suspended from concealed pin, 28 mm diam.
Box 1#30
Harvard-Yale Freshman Track Meet medal, 1915.Unidentified engraver.Silver, 28 mm.

Engraved on reverse: "Broad Jump 1915."

Box 1#31
Harvard class of 1891 50th anniversary name badge, 1941.Whitehead-Hoag, manufacturer.Gilt with green, white & red enamel suspended on green/white silk ribbon, 29 mm diam. x 88 mm H. Nameplate "[Horace A.] Davis."
Box 1#32
Harvard Athletic Association medal, 1915.Dieges & Clust, manufacturer.Bronze suspended from pin bar on red, white, blue grosgrain ribbon, 32 mm diam.

Engraved on reverse: "Winter Carnival 1915 / Broad Jump / 3rd prize."

Box 1#33
Harvard Surgical Unit, 22 General Hospital, BEF pin, 1914-1919.Unknown maker.Gold with red and white enamel, 19 mm.

On reverse: "Presented to P. Allen by the corporation of Harvard University."

Box 1#34
6th International Congress of Audiology (Leiden) name badge, 1962.Unknown engraver.Pewter with blue enamel suspended from name bar by red/white grosgrain ribbon, 26 mm diam.

Typed name: DR DAVIS / USA.

Box 1#35
6th International Congress of Audiology (Leiden) name badge, 1962.Unknown engraver.Pewter with blue enamel suspended from name bar by red/white grosgrain ribbon, 26 mm diam.

Typed name: MRS DAVIS / USA.

Box 1#36
Congress of the International Society of Audiology (Kyoto) pin, 1965.Unknown maker.Copper, gilt with champlevé enamel in red, white, blue, 30 mm.
Box 1#37
XIV Congresso Internazionale di Fisiologia (Rome) attendee’s pin # 217, 1931.Unidentified maker.Bronze, 35 x 24 mm.
Box 1#38
2nd ICA [International Commission for Accoustics] Congress, 51st ASA [Accoustical Society of America] Meeting (Cambridge, Mass.) name badge, 1956.Unidentified maker.Pewter, 33 mm x 68 mm.

Typed name: DAVIS MRS H / USA 267.

Box 1#39
2nd ICA [International Commission for Accoustics] Congress, 51st ASA [Accoustical Society of America] Meeting (Cambridge, Mass.) name badge, 1956.Unidentified maker.Pewter, 33 mm x 68 mm.

Typed name: DAVIS H / USA 122.

Box 1#40
International Physiology Congress (Edinburgh) pin, 1923.Fattorini & Sons.Silver with blue enamel, 29 mm.
Box 1#41
American Psychiatric Association (Boston) lapel button, 20th c.Whitehead-Hoag.Bronze, 21 mm.
Box 1#42-43
8th International Congress of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology (Tokyo) pins, 1965.Unidentified maker.Bronze, gilt with yellow, blue, white, red enamel, 58 mm.
Box 1#44
[15th International Physiological Conference pin], [1935].Unidentified congress and maker.Silver with gold, & blue and red enamel, rectangular 35 x 20 mm.

Rectangular blue field with XV above a building in relief with "CCCP" in red. 267 below. Probably from the 15th International Physiological Conference, which was held in Leningrad and Moscow.

Box 1#45
United States National Academy of Sciences rosette, 1963.U.S. Institute of Heraldry.Purple/gold silk ribbon with steel back and grip, 10 mm diam.
Box 1#46
XIV Congresso Internazionale di Fisiologia (Rome) attendee’s pin #216, 1931.Unknown maker.Bronze, 35 x 24 mm.
Box 1#47
VIII Congresso Internacional de Audiologia (Mexico) name badge, 1966.Unidentified maker.Aluminum with silkscreen, 34 mm H x 70 mm W.

Typed name: Florence E. Davis U.S.A.

Box 1#48
[OMI] medal, 1981.Unidentified maker.Silver, 30 mm, in case.

Reverse:25 Aniversario Dr. Hallowell Davis 1956-1981.

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Preferred Citation

Hallowell Davis medals, Massachusetts Historical Society.

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Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.

Persons:

Davis, Hallowell, 1896-1992--Medals.

Organizations:

Harvard University--Medals.

Subjects:

Medicine--Medals.
Science--Medals.
Sports--Medals.

Collection processed by Anne E. Bentley, 2017.

Encoded by Mary E. Yacovone, December 2019.