Folks, I figured with the combined knowledge of this site, someone someplace must have run across something like this. It's pretty obvious it's a salesman key fob or watch fob from Round Oak stoves in Michigan. But a Google image search and even a fleaBay search came up with nothing like this inscription. I am thinking it cannot be unique. Anyone seen one of these and have the "back story?" Thanks in advance. Zoid the ever curious
Very nice medal, maybe it's an employee medal. Honestly, it's a cool piece but I don't know anything about it! Nice find!
This museum has an extensive Round Oak corporation collection. It has a couple of medallions listed. They are way down the list of items. https://dowagiacmuseum.info/wp-content/virtualexhibit/vex1/toc.htm
I found this museum site after I posted the images here last night. I also ran across the "page" you linked. I first thought that it contained only photos of buildings until I started scrolling down this morning. I found images similar to this medallion, but they were identified as dealer stickers. I will try searching this link again when I am on the larger screen on my PC. I never did hit the end of that page. I think it scrolls down to the End of the Internet. How far down is, "way down?" I'll use the text search function in Windows later. Thanks for confirming that you found a record of these there. Z
Aha! That part I know! And it's "A. J. Seivers" Seivers was the maiden name of my paternal grandmother. A. J. was her father, which makes him my great-grandfather. My father was born in 1933. A. J. would presumably have been working for Round Oak around that time. Wikipedia mentions that Round Oak stayed strong throughout the Great Depression with government contracts. I did a lot of reading and research on the links above early this morning. I knew almost nothing of Round Oak when I posted this last night. As this medallion mentions stoves, ranges, AND furnaces, it is logical to conclude this medallion was made late in the company's history, as furnaces were a late addition to the product line up. As this is inscribed with my great-grandfather's name, I'm thinking that it must be some type of sales award? Now my curiosity is piqued as to the metallic content of the piece. It is the diameter of nearly a silver dollar, and is VERY high relief - close to 1/2" thick. It could not have been inexpensive to manufacture. I did send an email to the museum this morning with the photos posted above. I will report back on if and what I hear from them. Zoid
These are the closest I have gotten. Unfortunately, no images of a similar watch fob comes up. Z Entries with images similar to the watch fob are below.
Dang, I'm excited!. I just heard back from the Museum Director. This is what he said. Gary, You have the medallion for a watch fob from the early 1900s. These were given to Round Oak salesmen or dealers (usually hardware store owners) as part of a promotion encouraging the sales of a large number of one product to join the Round Oak Specialization Concentration Club. This is only one part of the full piece—see attached image for the full item. Best, Steve Arseneau Museum Director I only wish I had EVERYTHING that made up this cool promotion / award that was given to my great-grandfather. Photos of the full monte below. I guess he was probably a hardware store owner, and not an employee of Round Oak. Z
Fabulous! A great-grandfather watch fob! Curiously, I also just happened to have unearthed my great-grandfather's company watch fob, as well! Pictures to follow soon. (Right now I am at work and not at home.
It may not have been that expensive. It is probably cast not struck, and if base metal it would be pretty inexpensive.
