Q. David Bowers
ROBERTS, Gilroy
Gilroy Roberts was born in Philadelphia on March 11, 1905, the son of John Taylor Roberts and Blanch Dawson Gilroy Roberts, both of whom were professional artists. Talent came naturally to him, and early in life he began modeling clay and carving wood. He was educated in New York City and Bedford Village, New York, later attending classes at the Frankford Evening Art School in Philadelphia and the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C. Among his instructors over a period of time were Paul Remy, Eugene Weis, and Heinz Warnecke.
In 1936 Gilroy Roberts was appointed assistant sculptor-engraver at the U.S. Mint, as understudy to Chief Engraver John Sinnock. "The commemorative half dollars of our country were in full swing at the time, and artists' models were arriving for processing to coining dies on a regular basis. This happened at a time when I was striving to improve my skill as a low-relief sculptor and engraver. It was a wonderful opportunity to study the creations of some of our country's leading medallic artists, both good and not so good. It was a great influence on furthering my career." (Commentary in a letter to the author, March 1, 1991.)
After working for the Mint for two years he joined the Bureau of Engraving and Printing as a portrait engraver, returning to the mint as assistant sculptor-engraver in 1944. Appointed as chief engraver of the Mint by President Harry S Truman on July 22, 1948, Roberts designed many coins and medals during the following years and became well known as the designer of the obverse of the 1964 Kennedy half dollar.
Among his other works are the items listed here. Coins: 1970 Panama 5 balboas, Central American and Caribbean games; Liberia $1, 50-, 25-, 10-, 5-, and L-cent obverses, 1959; Haiti 10- and 5-centimes obverse, 1958; Cuba 1 peso, 50-, 25-, 5-, and L-centavo obverses; El Salvador 50-and 25-centavos obverse, 1953; Denmark 5 kroner, 1944. U.S. Mint medals: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson in the presidential series. Congressional medals: Irving Berlin, 1954; Dr. Jonas Salk, 1955; Sir Winston Churchill, obverse, 1955; U.S. Grant and Robert E. Lee, honoring the surviving vet-erans of the War Between the States, 1956. Stamps (at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing): Famous Americans postage series of 1940 including Ralph Waldo Emerson (3¢, Stephen Foster (1¢), and Eli Whitney (1¢). In addition he produced numerous private commissions.
He resigned his post as chief engraver on October 8, 1964, to become chairman of the board of the General Numismatics Corporation (later known as the Franklin Mint) for whom he sculpted many art medals. His medals have been exhibited worldwide, and he has received numerous awards and honors.
In 1927 he married Lillian Sharpless Pancoast in a Philadelphia ceremony. The couple have a son, John Taylor Roberts, and two grandchildren.
Commemorative credit: 1951-1954 Carver-Washington half dollar (revised and made models from sketches provided by Isaac Scott Hathaway).
ROVELSTAD, Trygve A.
Born on September 27, 1903, the son of Theodore and Anna M.K. (Evensen) Rovelstad, Trygve Andor Rovelstad spent most of his life in Elgin, Illinois, where he maintained a studio for sculpture and medallic art. His works (including the commemorative half dollar he designed) were typically signed with his TAR monogram arranged in the form of a circle. "The urge to become an artist began when as a small boy I spent hours carving a bowie knife, a bow and arrows, a gun, or just drawing and painting," the artist related in a biographical sketch. "The tower room of my home in Elgin became my first studio-where in leisure time I drew, painted, modeled, and studied anatomy. Our bam, with a skylight installed, housed my advanced art activities."
Rovelstad traveled to the West, took archery lessons fron an Indian chief, visited a totem pole carver, and enrolled at the University of Washington (Seattle), where he earned credits in sculpture. He then studied under Chicago sculptor Lorado Taft, who commented: "I take pleasure in testifying to the character, intelligence, and skill of my former pupil, Trygve Rovelstad. I have had many pupils and he was among the best. Need I say more?" He also studied at the Palette & Chisel Club (Chicago), Heatherley's (London), and at the Louvre in Paris.
During World War II Rovelstad served with the U.S. War Department as an artist and lithographer and designed the General Pershing (U.S. Army occupation of Germany) medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the WACS insignia, and the Combat Infantry Badge. In 1945 he was asked by the U.S. Army to teach sculpture and modeling to battle-weary soldiers at the U.S. Army University at Shrivenham, England. Also related to the conflict is his American Roll of Honor, which he produced for display in the American Memorial Chapel in St. Paul's Cathedral in London (this book of 473 calfskin pages contains over 27,000 hand-inscribed names of American servicemen who died defending the British Isles and was presented to Queen Elizabeth by Dwight D. Eisenhower). A visionary to the extreme, he once proposed a 500-foot statue I Will, to be erected in the harbor of Chicago at a cost of $3 million. Somewhat related was the Chicago Charter Jubilee coin bill, proposed in Congress in 1937, but not passed, in connection with which Rovelstad had hoped to furnish the design for a commemorative quarter or half dollar.
On July 8, 1950, the sculptor married Gloria Michel in a ceremony held in Elgin. The couple had one child, Gloria-Ann, who became a talented artist in her own right.
The sculptor produced many medals after his work for the government including those titled Pioneer (featuring the Pioneer sculpture group), Pioneer / I Will (with the I Will statue), Libonati / I Will, Gov. William G. Stratton, 101st Airborne, Chicago Fire, Martin Delaney, Logan Hay (Abraham Lincoln Association, 1967), Mark Twain (1967), Illinois Sesquicentennial (1968), Lincoln Heritage Trail (1969), Captive Nations (marking the 1959-1969 10th anniversary of President Eisenhower's proclamation of Captive Nations Week), and Chicago Coin Club 50th Anniversary (1969). (A related list appears in The Commemorative Trail, Fall-Winter 1990, p. 30, and is from information given by the sculptor to numismatist Roger Bear.)
In his later years he wore a beret as a personal trademark, was the subject of many newspaper articles, and enjoyed giving visitors tours of his studio and distributing his illustrated brochure titled Beautiful. He remained active up to the age of 84, when he suffered a fall and had other complications. Trygve Rovelstad died on June 8, 1990, in Elgin, and was survived by his wife Gloria and his daughter Gloria-Ann. Information concerning his life and work was published in The Commemorative Trail, Fall-Winter 1990.
Commemorative credit: 1936 Elgin Centennial half dollar.