Historical and Art Medals, Numismatic Books

United States of America, Vacuum Oil Co, gold and enamel Long Service badges (8), for 3, 5, 10 (2), 15, 20, 25 and 35 Years Service, awarded to Alan A. West, all 14ct, total wt 23.26g; Standard-Vacuum [Oil Co], gold and enamel 30 Years Long Service badge, 10ct, 2.11g; a silver cigarette case signed as a birthday gift to A.A. West from his colleagues at Standard-Vacuum, 12 October 1935, hallmarked h & c ld Birmingham 1935, 178 x 87mm; Scotland, Dollar Academy, a bronze award medal by Kirkwood, named (A.H. West, Foreigners, 1929), 26mm; Fife, Clackmannan & Kinross Edinburgh Association (Instituted 1871), a copper award medal by Kirkwood, named (Dollar Academy, Dux Technical Classes 1929-30, Alan H. West), 51mm; RAF College, a light bronze award medal by F. Phillips, engraved (Contest v. Queen’s College Cambridge, 192[–], Half Mile, Second), 44mm; Germany, Completion of the Restoration of the Kaiser-Dom, Speyer, 1858, a copper medal by J. Wiener, 59mm [14]. Very fine and better; two in cases of issue (£180-220)

The Vacuum Oil Co, a specialist organisation manufacturing lubricating oil now subsumed by Mobil, was founded in 1866 by Hiram B. Everest. In 1880 the company was absorbed by the gasoline producer Standard Oil. Alan A. West (†January 1953) joined the Vacuum Oil Co in 1905, rising to the position of general manager at the time of the merger of Vacuum with SOCONY (Standard Oil Co of New York) in February 1930. He retired in 1942 after 37 years of service. The Scottish medals were awarded to his son, Alan H. West