VOCABULARY TERM: TWO-PART MEDAL

This two-part medal, the first in America, was created by sculptor/medallist Frank Eliscu. Inspired by a film showing Kauko Rasanen’s Jonah in the Whale, he chose the theme of Pegasus, symbol of an artist’s Muse or Inspiration. Note the two interfaces surfaces are concurrent; the relief side fits exactly within its incuse mate.

Two-part Medal. A medallic item of two separate unattached parts which form the complete item. The two parts lie loose fitting within each other, sometimes in an intricate manner (like a puzzle). The inventor of the two-part medal was Kauko Rasanen whose Jonah in the Whale first appeared in 1969. The whale appeared on the outside obverse and reverse. When the two horizontal halves are broken apart a design of Jonah is revealed inside on the two interface surfaces. Some form of KEYING, as notching or lettering, assists in seating the two halves correctly together again. The development of the two-part medal led, obviously, to those of more than two parts, spearheaded by inventor Rasanen, and all such items are now classed as MULTIPART MEDALS.
CLASS 12.6

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