Tom Lewis

Hi Mervyn,

Absolutely no marks, sadly.

The blade measures 54cm if measured using a cloth tape measure, and 50 cm from hilt to blade tip if measured in a straight line.

Tom

Here’s a curious dirk from my collection.

It's said to be Turkish, or at least that’s what the description said in the auction where I bought it 20 years ago. 

The blade is of steel, and has a distinct curve and a slight fuller extending for two-thirds of the length. 

The hilt seems to be brass, and has a “duck’s head” pommel.  

Absolutely no decorative marks that I can see.

Grateful for any suggestions. My sword book collection is admittedly Western, but has nothing. I posted this in the Turkey section, and had a lot of looks, but no replies.

 Tom

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W.R. Westra van Holthe (born 1888) was a rather insignificant conscript Reserve Officer of the Infantry:

26-03-1909, 2nd Lt.

26-03-1913, 1st Lt.

01-12-1920, hon. discharged

 

He would never have had this combination of medals and decorations.

On account of his service he could only have qualified for the 1914-18 Mobilization Cross

Maybe he was a medal collector then, and not the recipient.  

Strange he would have had the Olympics stuff in the same box.

Tom, are any of the bronze medals named on the reverse?

Paul

No, none.  Maybe he took a few samples as keepsakes once the event was over.

My subject's name was definitely "Willem Rudolf Westra Van Holthe" so I suppose that is not him.

Hello Tom and Paul!

 

In this thread http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/59369-order-of-seraphim-to-an-italian-officer/ is a discussion as to how an Italian officer was awarded an RSO - Knight of the Order of the Sword - which might be of some interest in this thread too. Royal visits could be quite rewarding not only for senior officers but also for ADCs...

 

/Jonas

Thanks - checking it out...

Tom

OK, now this is getting really exciting. 

 

If these did belong to the Dutch bar you have in another thread (BTW:  nice bar!) It would be great to find his name on the 1936 Olympics list of equestrian judges.  Is there a list of the 1936 Dutch Olympic Committee judges?  

 

Your guy should be there.    

Thanks for both replies.

His name may have been wilfred westra van holthe.

Tom

Grateful for any help identifying the medallions in this group.

They may have belonged to the person who owned a Dutch medal bar, with some other medals he collected.  See:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/64849-netherlands-medals-collection-help-needed-also-strange-german-medallions/

Also in the box were this set of what looks like related (to the 1936 Olympics) medallions, and the barred items to the right.

Appreciate any comments.

Tom, Darwin, Australia

I am sure one of our Swedish members would know if there is a list of Dutch recipients of the Order of the Sword, given that it is a military Order quite likely he was a military attaché to Sweden. The other group could have been awarded to a relative who happened to live over the border in Luxemburg (don't forget Luxemburg was ruled by the Dutch crown until 1890).

Paul

Many thanks Paul.  Most interesting this, for an Aussie.

Tom

The Fourth Medal is the Swedish Order of the Sword, The bar to the right contains the Luxemburg Oaken Crown and the Waldeck Honour Cross, the miniature group below also contains the Luxemburg Order of the Golden Lion.

Paul

Ah, so he has the fourth medal there because it is foreign?  Thanks - I will check out the Order. Sounds prestigious.  

My thinking so far is that this belonged to the person who has the group at top left, and maybe he collected the others...

Is there any way to check out who owned the group to the top left?

Tom

Not sure if I am doing something wrong - posted this the other day but it seems to have disappeared.

(I am on talewis@bigpond.com if I need to be told to do something better...)

Trying to track down what the fourth medal in the Netherlands collection shown is.....I think the first three are:

Officer of the Order of Orange Nassau 1892, (military)

Long Service Medal (Officers)

Mobilisation Cross 1914-1918

​These are from a box of stuff a friend has, probably from an ancestor. His granddad's surname in the Netherlands was Van Holthe.

The rest of the set seems to have some 1936 Olympics medallions, and there are many miscellaneous pieces.

​Help grateful received for an ignorant Aussie.

Two pix attached.

Tom