S. Bleichroder Jewish European Bank 100th Anniversary Medal

1903

caption:
A summer afternoon led to an adventure in numismatics, one quite a few steps away from my Herzl in Metal collection. So my favorite medal of the moment is the plaquette of a Jewish banker whose name has the highly unlikely appellation of von. I am sure that is still is another story.  
 
Size: 9.4 cm x 7.3 cm x 3 mm
Metal: Bronze
Date: 1903
Produced by: co-workers of the Bleichroeder Bank
Sculptor: G. Janensch 1902
 
The obverse of this plaque features as its main emblem an oak tree as its main emblem an oak tree which has always denoted stability and solidity in German history. Oakleaves have always been used for the victors wreath. On the left side of the trunk are the words:
 
ZUR FEIER DES HUNDERTJAEHRIGEN BESTEHENS DES BANKHAUSES S. BLEICHROEDER.
 
IN ENGLISH: FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE HUNDRED YEARS OF ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BANKING HOUSE OF S. BLEIHROEDER
 
 
On the right side of the trunk: DEN INHABERN to the owners HANS von BLEICHROEDER, DR. JAMES von BLEICHROEDER, DR. PAUL SCHWABACH, ALBERT BLASCHKE, GEWIDMENT VON INREN, MITARBEITERN Dedicated by your Co-workers
 
Below the trunk the line
STEHE IM STURM DER JAHRE. DAURE IN DER ZEITEN FLUCHT
STAND IN THE STORM OF THE YEARS, ENDURE IN FLEETING TIMES.
 
The reverse has as its center piece a semi nude woman holding a tablet on her left knee with the words LABOR, OMNIA, VINCIT.
 
The woman sits on an ornamented balustrade against an industrial background of a bridge, a river with boats, a train emerging from a tunnel and a factory with smoing chimneys.
 
The center view is flanked by two panels, one showing thistle and on the right side an apple tree.
 
Both botanical plants are covered with scrolls in German and Latin some barely discernible. However, there are two scrolls