With awards season in full swing many of our most talented artists are receiving recognition for their work and are receiving coveted trophies and statuettes. The Grammy Awards, formally known as the Gramophone Awards, are presented annually in the U.S. for outstanding achievement in the music industry. In 1990, Billings Artwork revamped the award. The trophy was much smaller and had a bad habit of breaking at the tone arm. John Billings was able to strengthen the award by making it 30% larger and switching from lead to zinc and aluminum alloy casting. To this day he hand makes and assembles each trophy. Once the trophy is assembled it is plated in gold.
The Academy Award, or Oscar, is made of gold-plated britannium on a black metal base. It is about 34 cm tall and weighs 8.5 lbs. The statuette depicts a knight holding a crusader’s sword and standing on a reel of film with five spokes representing the original branches of the academy. The naming of the award, Oscar, is surrounded by much speculation. Some believe Bette Davis named the award after first husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson, after winning the award in 1936.
Other famous awards platted in gold include the Golden Globes, Nobel Peace Prize, Pulitzer Prize, and the Emmy Award!
