Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. A Palace Of Nations Table Medal 1933

In silver, marked "0.900" (silver) on the edge, weighing 149 grams, obverse illustrating a shirtless construction worker, wearing pants and work boots, holding a lever and lifting up a block with it, the block placed upon two other blocks at the left, the skeleton framework of a building under construction in the distance, with a crane visible at the left, an oval disk at the base dated "1933" and engraver marked "Huguenin", reverse illustrating the Palace of Nations (built as the headquarters of the League of Nations, later, home of the United Nations Office, at Geneva, Switzerland), with the inscription "ENTREPRISE DU PALAIS DES NATIONS / SOCIETA ITALIANA CHINI . MILAN / ED. CUENOD S.A. GENEVA / AKT. GES. HEINR. HATT-HALLER HOCH-UND TIEFBAU-UNTERNEHMUNG . ZÜRICH / SOCIETE D'ENTREPRISE DE TRAVAUX PUBLICS & INDUSTRIELS . PARIS / JEAN SPINEDI S.A. GENEVE" and engraver marked "Huguenin", measuring 70.8 mm in diameter, exhibiting spotting on the obverse. Near extremely fine. In its hardshelled case of issue, maker marked "Huguenin Frères & Co Médailleurs Le Locle (Suisse)" on the white satiny inside lid, navy blue felt recessed medal bed, measuring 98.7 mm (w) x 99.8 mm (h) x 18.7 mm (d), exhibiting light wear and sunning on the exterior, case better than very fine.

Footnote: The Palace of Nations is the home of the United Nations Office at Geneva, located in Geneva, Switzerland. It was built between 1929 and 1938 to serve as the headquarters of the League of Nations. It has served as the home of the United Nations Office at Geneva since 1946 when the Secretary-General of the United Nations signed a Headquarters Agreement with the Swiss authorities, although Switzerland did not become a member of the United Nations until 2002. An architectural competition held in the 1920s to choose a design for the complex described the project as follows: "The Palace, whose construction is the object of the competition, is intended to house all the organs of the League of Nations in Geneva. It should be designed in such a way as to allow these organs to work, to preside and to hold discussions, independently and easily in the calm atmosphere which should prevail when dealing with problems of an international dimension." A jury of architects was selected to choose a final design from among 377 entries but was unable to decide on a winner. Ultimately, the five architects behind the leading entries were chosen to collaborate on a final design: Julien Flegenheimer of Switzerland, Camille Lefèvre and Henri-Paul Nénot of France, Carlo Broggi of Italy and József Vágó of Hungary. Donations from League members were used in the interior. The Palace constituted at the time of completion in 1936, volume wise, the second-largest building complex in Europe after Versailles (440,000 m3 (15,500,000 cu ft) vs. 460,000 m3 (16,200,000 cu ft). After its transfer to the United Nations, two extensions were added to the building, which considerably increased the size of the usable area of the building. Between 1950 and 1952, three floors were added to the "K" building, and the "D" building was constructed to temporarily house the World Health Organization. The "E" building (or "New" Building) was added between 1968 and 1973 as a conference facility (an additional eleven conference rooms and an extra volume of 380,000 m3 (13,400,000 cu ft)), bringing the total of conference rooms to 34. With the additions, the complex is 600 metres (2,000 ft) long and holds 2,800 offices, with a total volume of 853,000 m3 (30,100,000 cu ft).