The essay will focus on a mid-nineteenth century medallion from the vast collection of Polish bibliophile Ludwik Gocel (1889–1966). Made in 1854 in the U.S. capital, Washington, D.C., it depicts a prominent nineteenth century American, Judge Charles Mason (1804–1882), and is a valuable token of the U.S. history. It was designed and completed by Polish distinguished medalist, Henryk Dmochowski (in the U.S. known as Henry Dmochowski Saunders; b. 1810–d. 1863) who can be called a “soldier-artist,” since he participated in three Polish uprisings. Expelled from partitioned Poland, in 1851 he came to America where he was offered the chance to work as a sculptor. This essay’s main aim is to describe the fate of the medallion, apparently almost unknown in both America and Poland, with special emphasis on the role of Ludwik Gocel in its preservation. This rare piece of art has never been included in Polish or American art publications in the field of sculpture.

51 samples from the Middle Triassic black shales (organic carbon−rich silt− stones; up to 4.9% TOC – Total Organic Carbon) from the stratotype section of the Bravaisberget Formation (western Spitsbergen) were analyzed with respect to isotopic composition of pyritic sulphur (δ34S) and TOC. Isotopic composition of syngenetic py− rite−bound sulphur shows wide (δ34S from −26‰ to +8‰ VCDT) and narrow (δ34S from −4‰ to +17‰ VCDT) variation of the δ34S in upper and lower part of the section, respec− tively. Range of the variation is associated with abrupt changes in dominant lithology. Wide δ34S variation is found in lithological intervals characterized by alternation of black shales and phosphorite−bearing sandstones. The narrow δ34S variation is associated with the lithological interval dominated by black shales only. Wide and narrow variation of the δ34S values suggests interplay of various factors in sedimentary environment. These fac− tors include oxygen concentration, clastic sedimentation rate, bottom currents and bur− rowing activity. Biological productivity and rate of dissimilatory sulphate reduction had important impact on the δ34S variation as well. Wide variation of the δ34S values in the studied section resulted from high biological productivity and high rate of dissimilatory sulphate reduction. Variable degree of clastic sedimentation rate and burrowing activity as well as the activity of poorly oxygenated bottom currents could also cause a co−occurrence of isotopically light and heavy pyrite in differentiated diagenetic micro−environments. Occurrence of organic matter depleted in hydrogen could also result in a wide variation of the δ34S values. Narrow variation of the δ34S values was due to a decrease of biological productivity and low rate of dissimilatory sulphate reduction. Low organic matter supply, low oxygen concentration and bottom currents and burrowing activity were also responsible for narrow variation of the δ34S. The narrow range of the δ34S variation was also due to occurrence of hydrogen−rich organic matter. In the studied section the major change in range of the δ34S variation from wide to narrow appears to be abrupt and clearly associated with change in lithology. The change of lithology and isotopic valuesmay sug− gest evolution of the sedimentary environment from high− to low−energy and also facies succession from shallow to deeper shelf. The evolution should be linked with the Late Anisian regional transgressive pulse in the Boreal Ocean.

Industrial utilization of fly ash from various kinds of fuel plays an important role in the envi-ronmentally clean and cost effective power production. The primary market for fly ash utilizationis as a pozzolanic addition in concrete production. The paper concerns the concretes containingfly ash called Fly Ash from Biomass (FAB) from co-combustion of hard coal and wood biomass(wood chips). Characterization of the fly ash was carried on by means of X-ray diffractometryand E-SEM/EDS analysis. The results of laboratory studies undertaken to evaluate the influence of FAB on concrete resistance to surface scaling due to cyclic freezing and thawing in the presenceof NaCl solution were presented. The tests were carried out for concretes containing up to 25% offly ash related to cement mass. Additionally, the microstructure of air-voids was described.

It was concluded that the FAB has significant effect on concrete freeze/thaw durability. The re-placement of cement by fly ash from co-combustion progressively transformed the concrete mi-crostructure into less resistant against freeze/thaw cycles and excessive dosage (over 15%) maydangerously increase the scaling.