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Jean Vernon bronze medal for the launch of the SS Liberte

This fantastic bronze medal was designed by Jean Vernon and was issued to commemorate the launch of the SS Liberte in 1950 on the Le Havre - New York route for the French company Compagnie Generale Transatlantique. The obverse depicts Venus rising from a seashell with a fish on each side. It is signed "Jean Vernon".
The reverse has an image of the ship with the embossed words " Liberte Le Havre-New York, French Line, Compagnie Generale Transatlantique".
The rim is stamped "Bronze" with the triangular stamp of Athus Bertrand.

Approximate dimensions:
Weight: 1.5ozs - 44gms
Diameter: 1.97ins - 5cms

Jean Vernon (1897-1975)
Jean Emile Louis de Vernon (son of medallist Frederic Vernon) was born in Paris on 01 April 1897.
Attended the Ecole des artes decoratifs before being conscripted in 1916 as an artillery officer.
Attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1919 studying sculpture with Coutan & medal engraving with Patey.
First exhibited at the Salon of the Societe des Artistes Francais in 1922, receiving an honourable mention.
Awarded a silver medal in 1924 a gold in 1936 and the Salon’s medal of honour in 1957

SS Liberte (originally the Europa)
The Europa (later SS Liberté) was a German built ocean liner constructed for the Norddeutsche Lloyd (NDL) to work the transatlantic sea route. She and her sister ship, the Bremen were the two most advanced, high speed steam turbine ocean vessels in their day, and were a part of the international competition for the Blue Riband.
Europa made her maiden voyage to New York on 19 March 1930 taking the westbound Blue Riband from SS Bremen with the average speed of 27.91 knots and a crossing time of 4 days, 17 hours and 6 minutes. She held it till her sister ship the Bremen recaptured it in June 1933.
She was largely inactive during World war II. Plans to use her as a transport in the intended invasion of Gt. Britain (Operation Sea Lion) and to convert her to an aircraft carrier were not realised. In 1945, she was captured by the Allies and used as a troopship, sailing as the USS Europa On 8 May 1945 she was taken as a US war prize; acquired by the US Navy and commissioned on 25 August 1945.
In September 1945 she carried 4,500 homeward-bound American troops from Southampton to the USA, arriving in New York on 24 September 1945, making 2 more such voyages thereafter, having been enlarged for that purpose. Europa was decommissioned on 2 May 1946, and was later transferred to France in partial payment of war reparations.
The Compagnie Generale Transatlantique took over ownership and brought her to Le Havre for refitting into their service as a replacement for the SS Normandie. On 2 August 1950 she made her maiden voyage to New York under her new name, Liberté.
The SS Liberté was laid up in 1961 and scrapped in 1962.
SS Liberté was featured in the Jane Russell film The French Line and appeared in the final scenes of the 1954 classic film Sabrina starring Audrey Hepburn & Humphrey Bogart.

Arthus-Bertrand
Medals and decorations maker, founded in Paris in 1803 by Claude Arthus-Bertrand, an army officer during the French Revolution. Artists who have designed for the firm include Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi (sculptor of the Statue of Liberty) and Fernand Léger.
It is the official manufacturer of the French Legion of Honour and has made insignia for the Society of the Cincinnati and the Order of Lafayette