MEDAL MAKER

Duration: 45 min

Year Published: 1930

Creator: Harvard Film Service

Format: 16mm

Sound: Silent

Description: Made especially for the American numismatic society. The making of medals and coins is demonstrated by Laura Gardin Fraser, best known for her official Government medals of Lindbergh and Byrd, and for her work for the National Sculpture Society. On smooth plaques of modeling clay, Mrs. Fraser builds in 3 dimensions—three times as large as the finished medal. Working directly from the living model, she deftly shapes the relief with tiny fingers—lifting the side and bottom designs. Working directly from the design, she makes close sketches, one for the face and one for the reverse, exactly the size the finished medal is to be. The model design is then transferred in clay through the various stages of transforming these clay plaques into plaster moulds, casts, bronze moulds, and then finally into steel dies. The steel dies in turn, placed in an enormous stamping machine, stamp out the finished medal.

Complete Record: Dewey number: 737 Audience level: jh-sh-c Format/cost: 16-si-$75; rent $3 Distributors / rental: Boston University $3; College Film Center; Films, Inc; HosU $3; International Film Bureau; Massachusetts Department of Education $1.50

Metadata Source:Educational Film Guide 1946