kimj

Gordon I'm not saying that you should buy from collectrussia. It was only the first site I knew would have the book. In fact I have never myself gotten anything from them. The shipping price/policy to Europe is just plain preventive. You could try some of the Russian online bookstores. /Kim

There is a book on soviet civilian aviation uniforms 1929-1990. All in Russian, of course, but well worth looking for if you have any interest in the subject. I don't have this book, but I do have the other three books in the series (about the uniforms of the Russian/Soviet air force). They are GREAT, probably the best uniform reference I have ever read. If it was used by the air force it's in there. I'm sure the civilian aviation book is the same quality. collectrussia has one for sale: http://www.collectrussia.com/DISPITEM.HTM?ITEM=19097 /Kim

Here is his twin. He was presented in 1977. My other soviet busts are stored deep in a box, so no more pics to show. For some reason my wife doesn't like them in the bookshelf. /Kim

There are some nice art in this thread. I just got a new Lenin and took a pic of him. Here he is, standing tall at about 35cm.

I agree with Mike that the medal probably is "Sui memores alios fecere merendo". The medal is an older version of the medal "F?r ber?mliga g?rningar"(For conspicuous deeds). Before 1832 it was awarded to Swedes also and after that year mostly to foreigners, amung other things for lifesaving. The text on the reverse is in five lines like this: Sui memores alios fecere merendo The Swedish version has the text on the edge of the reverse like the pictures shown. /Kim

It's no mystery, it's the medal of merit of Gothenburg. If you can make out the hallmark year you should be able to match it with this list of recipients: http://www4.goteborg.se/prod/sk/goteborg.n...en?OpenDocument Nice bar by the Way!! /Kim

I don't have the year of the awarding. It's not mentioned in the army list of 1901, but is mentioned in the order book printed in 1907. That's about as close as I can get without digging in other places. /Kim

Impressive pics Christer! If you want to share more I'd be more than happy. Mike: C.V. Ancarcrona got more than the grand cross. He was also a holder of the Order of the Elephant too. In the war of 1849 he was a "secundl?jtnant" on the "Skjold" and later on the "Eidern". Later in life he was a big fish at the royal court. /Kim

Your medal has the text of Ayat al Kursi. Here's a web site with translation and guide when to use it. http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/dua1/ayat_al_kursi.html /Kim

A real interesting citation. Real life IS stranger than fiction. Congratulation on a nice star with a rare gem of archival history. /Kim

Perhaps the Swedish Red Cross medal of merit? The ribbon is Pale blue/ Yellow /Pale blue. If it was the gold medal it could have been recycled as something else... /Kim

Just an observation. Here in Sweden there was a big militaria auction last weekend. All imperial Russia lots were sold, well over the estimate. www.probusauktioner.se /Kim

I'm sure the first owner of your medal was very proud of it. That's why he put a ribbon on it to wear. I have also seen plenty of coin like awards (the right English word escapes me) that was put in brooch like contraptions, just to show of. Then they didn't have to use the phrase: let me show you the award I have in my pocket. It just didn't sound right. ) From what I read about Swedish history I would have thought that being drunk in the 1870 would be considered normal... Must be a question of right time and place. /Kim

Nice to see some Swedish medals Rick! It's medal from the Royal Academy of War Sciences you all ready know. But it didn't start its life with a ribbon. These tokens were given for promoting the academys ideas. All I've ever seen were in the shape of a coin. The ribbon here has been added by someone later. I don't have the statues but I don't think they are awarded any more. /Kim

Thank you Bison! I have seen some variations of the badge on ebay.fr. But I have no clue what is old, new or even fake. I find it even more interesting with the (serial?) number. Perhaps there's a list somewhere to match with a name.... Not holding my breath for that to happen... /Kim

I just got this badge and would like to know more about it. What I do is that it is a badge for the Bataillon fran?ais in the Korean War. But other than that .... How old, who got it, did they buy it or were awarded. Many questions. Does anybody have any answers? /Kim

It could also be a simple spelling error. There is a V.I. Liventsev at www.warheroes.ru that could be this man. http://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=3385 /Kim

Paul. Like most other Russian/Soviet militaria prices helmet prices are on the rise. What the current price for a good war time helmet is.... Well, those unsold are too expensive. Also for some reason it's easier to find the model before M40, with a sack-like liner, than the three pad variation. I still haven't found a good one for my own collection. Good luck finding one. Soviet helmets are much more rare than German. Many 1948 dated helmets have magically turned into 1943 dated helmets. So there are fakes in this field too... /Kim

This is a Hungarian Model 50. Look here for more info: http://www.cascoscoleccion.com/hungria/hung50.htm A bit expensive dealer site with some real ones: http://www.aboutww2militaria.com/index.htm...eel_helmets.htm /Kim

They could perhaps been private. But I read that Danish and Norwegians also served from the 60-ties. Maybe the author couldn't tell his Scandinavians apart. He should have had the Ethiopian order at the end of his bar according to regulation. But there's only room for two ribbons in the beginning. I have some hopes of finding a photo of him wearing this bar in the archives. Then I'll know for sure how he wore it. Maybe he got some so far unknown medal/order that was next to his order of the Sword and kept his Menelik in his shoe box... It's a bit of a mystery. They have a nice selection. But tend to double their prices from the auctions they buy the awards from. I'll wait for the next auction. /Kim

The Swedish army officers disappeared from Ethiopia in 1964. The reasons for leaving I have read about are general unrest in the country and increasing tension with Somalia. The Air force training stopped in 1960. The police I don't know. I have high hopes finding a Menelik here in Sweden. Last militaria auction even had a commander neck cross. So a knight is bound to show up. /Kim

Thanks for the nice words gentlemen! Only the first order was one that should have been sent back, order of the Sword. The other two wasn't. So I think it got cut up for economical reasons. But who knows. Sorry, no real gold medals on this one. But that's not a bad thing. It kept the price relativly low. Here are the names, first in Swedish then in English. The English translation are from a recent book on swedish military decorations. Riddare av Sv?rdsorden (borta vid k?p) Riddare av Etiopiska Menelik II:s orden (borta vid k?p) Sveriges milit?ridrotts- och m?ngkampf?rbunds f?rtj?nstmedalj i silver Riksf?rbundet Sveriges lottak?rers kungl. f?rtj?nstmedalj i silver Centralf?rbundets f?r bef?lsutbildning f?rtj?nstmedalj i silver Stockholms f?rsvarskommitt?s f?rtj?nstmedalj i guld Stockholms f?rsvarskommitt?s f?rtj?nstmedalj i silver Centralf?rbundets f?r bef?lsutbildning f?rtj?nsttecken (medalj borta vid k?p) Riksf?rbundet Sveriges Lottak?rers f?rtj?nstmedalj i silver Hemv?rnets silvermedalj Bef?lsutbildningsf?rbunds f?rtj?nstmedalj Sveriges kvinnliga bilk?rers riksf?rbunds f?rtj?nstmedalj F?renta Nationernas ?vervakningsstyrkas medalj i brons (FNMUNEF) F?renta Nationernas medalj i brons (FNMUNTSO) (fel medalj, en UNEF1 med fel band) Stockholms Luftv?rnsf?renings f?rtj?nstmedalj Frivilliga Radioorganisationens f?rtj?nstmedalj Frivilliga Automobilk?rernas Riksf?rbunds f?rtj?nsttecken *** Knight of the order of the sword Knight of the order of Menelik II, Ethiopia Swedish Military Sport Association medal of merit The National League of Swedish Lotta Corps medal of merit in silver Central Union for Officers Training medal of merit in silver Stockholm Defence committee medal of merit in gold Stockholm Defence committee medal of merit in silver Central Union for Officers Training badge of merit in gold National League of Swedish Lotta Corps medal of merit in silver Home Guard silver medal Officers Training Association medal of merit in gold Swedish National League of Women Auxiliary Motor Corps medal of merit in gold UNEF 1 medal UNTSO medal, with wrong medal Stockholm Air Defence Association medal of merit Voluntary Radio Association medal of merit in gold Voluntary Automobile Corps badge of merit I think Livijn was involved with the training of the Ethiopian guards. But I didn't find any reference of him acctually going to Ethiopia. I will dig out his file from the military archive when I have the time for it. One interesting thing is that Livijn was at the UN HQ in Kairo from october 1966 - july 1967. So I suppose he had some busy days when the Six-Day War kicked off. /Kim

Here is the latest addition to my Swedish collection. An unusually big medal bar to an officer at Royal Svea Life Guards, lieutenant colonel C.H. Livijn. He had his military career from his commission in 1943 to early 70-ties. Most of his (remaining) awards are from 60-70-ties. Unfortunately the bar is missing three awards. They were probably sold for a better profit as singles. But the ?important? awards, those with his name engraved, are all present. Sometime later on I will hunt down the missing ones and restore the bar. Here's a pic of the bar. Notice the modifications on it: Third medal squeezed in afterwards. Last medals are also added later (in the wrong order). Both UN medals are in fact UNEF1 medals... I guess you do the best with what you have. Enjoy!

Thank you for this new information gentlemen! I really like the fact that an old thread can be brought back from the dead and spread more information. Must be a sign of the quality of our forum. The medal is stamped not engraved. /Kim

In post #5, the back of the citation side, you can see that he was downgraded by the corps commander. Why gen.-lieut. Anisimov did that I can't know. Maybe some quota of OGPW 2cl had already been filled and only red stars were left? The place he broke the German defence is the Narew bridge head, north of Warsaw. /Kim