Award medal

The second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries was a period of successful Pomeranian crafts and industry development. Achievements in these fields were presented at economic exhibitions, accompanied by medals. Their original iconography reflects the stylistic complexity of German Neoclassicism. Realistic and allegorical representations were often combined with compositions based on commonly exploited patterns. The engraved names appearing in the medal field were a way to personalise the award. The presented medal of the Pomeranian National Chamber in terms of its iconography belongs to the coat of arms type. A canted griffin on a fallen oak trunk refers to Pomeranian history and the Griffin dynasty, which expired in 1637. On the other hand, the oak wreath, on which five shields with symbols of crafts and industry were placed, belongs to composition schemes, often appearing on exhibition medals. The inscription in the rim of the reverse: VEREINTE KRAFT SCHAFFT GROSSES (united strength creates greatness) emphasises the universally prevailing working spirit. The engraving on the obverse: C.L. Kaiser/Szczecin refers to a person of merit, but it is unclear which branch of the economy. The medal is the work of the talented Berlin artist Christoph Karl Pfeuffer (1801-1861), medal maker of the royal court and chief medal maker at the royal mint in Berlin. The artist was initially associated with the medallic firm of Gottfried Bernhard Loos, and the medal might have been minted there as is indicated by stamps, copied several times later and also signed by Loos. In the collection of the National Museum in Szczecin, identical compositions can be found on the medal of the Pomeranian Economic Society. The engraved date of 1857 allows it to be associated with the Industrial, Agricultural and Forestry Exhibition, which opened on 18 May in Szczecin.

Genowefa Horoszko