JohanH

Great looking mini chain! Miniature number 7 looks a bit Asian if you ask me. I can't help you to ID the owner, but a set like that must be unique and ID:able.

I found some more information about Bjork and his life on this site: University of California: In Memoriam, April 1963 (cdlib.org) Below is the text copied from the site. Apparently he received the order for fostering Swedish-American relations. David Knuth Bjork 1891-1962 Professor Emeritus David Knuth Bjork was born in Stockholm, Sweden, July 19, 1891, the son of August and Jenny Godhe Bjork. He came to the United States in May 1911 and became a citizen in 1922. He attended theological seminary in Evanston, Illinois, and was ordained as minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church. After a year at Illinois Wesleyan University, he moved to California where he continued study for two years at the Pacific School of Religion while serving as minister of a Methodist church in Berkeley. Shortly thereafter he enrolled as an undergraduate at the University of California from which he received his B.A. degree in 1919 and his A.M. in 1920. His contact with Professor Herbert E. Bolton in lectures and seminars led to his appointment as a Teaching Fellow in Latin-American History, a field in which Bolton was a leading scholar. Aiming for a Ph.D. in history, Bjork chose as his dissertation topic “Alexander O'Reilly and the Spanish Occupation of Louisiana, 1769-1770,” a theme concerned with the transfer of Louisiana from France to Spain and the suppression of insurrection therein. This was a topic that required intensive study of manuscript sources in Spanish and French archives. His selection as a Travelling Fellow by the Native Sons of the Golden West allowed him to spend a year (1922-1923) in Spanish and other European archives and to visit his birthplace, Stockholm, to lecture on historical themes. Before his return to Berkeley he had completed his dissertation, mailing the chapters back ― 8 ― as they were completed. Its main results appeared in 1932 in New Spain and the Anglo-Saxon West, two volumes of historical contributions dedicated to H. E. Bolton by a group of his former students. In 1923, Dr. Bjork was appointed Instructor in the History Department of what was then known as the University of California, Southern Branch. Over the years he rose through the ranks and in 1958, after thirty-five years of service, retired as Professor of History. March 3, 1962, he died in his campus office of a heart ailment with which he had been afflicted for several years. Although Bjork's doctoral dissertation had been in New World History, his European background, his knowledge of European languages, and his work in church history while in theological school, especially qualified him to give instruction in European history and from the beginning of his connection with UCLA all his teaching was in the European field. At first this was in lower division courses--the only division operating in Los Angeles, but as early as 1924--the first year in which the full four-year program at UCLA was authorized by The Regents--Dr. Bjork began teaching History 121A-B, The History of the Middle Ages, which was to remain his special field until his retirement. In this course several thousand students came under his instruction and influence. He was a teacher of unusual ability, giving both understanding and inspiration to the many students who studied with him. By 1933 when UCLA began graduate instruction, Dr. Bjork had so thoroughly established himself in the field of medieval history that he was called upon to introduce a seminar in that subject. He had prepared for this by helping the University Library build its holdings in Hanseatic and Northern European medieval history. At the same time he had made a careful selection of printed sources and monographs for his private library and had acquired a large collection ― 9 ― of microfilm from archives in Brussels, Luebeck, Tallin, Riga, Danzig, and other towns in Northern Europe. In 1938, as Travelling Fellow for the Commission for Relief in Belgium, Educational Foundation, he visited the archives of Belgium, northern Germany, the Scandinavian countries, and the East Baltic States and significantly supplemented these microfilm copies of essential sources. Dr. Bjork's published writings were not extensive, but his influence has stretched far and will continue to be felt for many years as his students carry on in colleges and universities across the country. As a result of his work with Professor Bolton he published not only the contribution in New Spain and the Anglo-Saxon West mentioned above, but also two articles in the Mississippi Valley Historical Review and one in the Louisiana Historical Quarterly. As a group they threw much-needed light on the problems connected with the transfer of Louisiana from French to Spanish rule. After turning his attention to the history of Northern Europe during the medieval period, Dr. Bjork published in Speculum “The Peace of Stralsund, 1370,” and “Piracy in the Baltic: 1375-1398,” “Hansa Towns and Flanders, 1358-1393”--a paper read at the Eighth International Congress of Historical Sciences at Zurich--and “Three Hansa Towns and Archives” in Volume IX of the Pacific Historical Review. More and more, as the years passed, Professor Bjork focused his attention, and that of his graduate students, upon the history of the Hanseatic League. At the time of his death he was a leading authority on the history of this important league and was actively at work on a history of it. In recognition of his scholarship in this field Dr. Bjork was elected a member of the Council of the Mediaeval Academy of America in 1939 and its Vice-President in 1954. Besides being a faithful member of the Mediaeval Academy, he kept up his membership in the American Historical Association; Hansische Geschichtsverein; The Society for the Advancement ― 10 ― of Scandinavian Studies; and the historical societies of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. In addition to directing the work of fourteen Ph.D. candidates, Dr. Bjork served on nearly one hundred doctoral committees. He was active in all departmental concerns, serving as Chairman of the Committee for the Guidance of Graduate Students and as Chairman of the Department, 1939-45--years that included the difficult war period with its military and civilian programs and its trimester schedules. He also served as a member of the Graduate Council during the early years of graduate work at UCLA. Dr. Bjork never shirked responsibilities or labors and gave generously of himself wherever he could be of assistance. The Men's Faculty Club, his fraternity, the Alumni Association, numerous student organizations, the Southern California History Guild, and the UCLA Chapter of Pi Gamma Mu are some of the groups he served. This quality led President Sproul at the time of Dr. Bjork's retirement to point to “the selfless devotion” he had given to “the causes of the University” and to his “championing of the University on all occasions.” Outside the department one of Dr. Bjork's most important areas of activity was athletics. He never lost the keen interest in sports that he developed as a youth in Sweden and was ever ready to counsel and assist students who participated in athletics. Soon after joining the UCLA faculty, he took the lead in establishing the Circle C Society for lettermen in minor sports and later became the faculty sponsor of the Varsity Club. He established and endowed that club's annual award to one of its members for outstanding sportsmanship, scholarship, and service to the University--the award now officially designated “The David K. Bjork Varsity Club Honor Award Medal.” From 1947 to 1953 he served as the faculty member representing UCLA in the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. In this latter capacity, ― 11 ― as in his years as chairman of his department, he demonstrated a broad understanding of the problems of individuals and institutions--an understanding that marked him as an able administrator. David Knuth Bjork was an active member of the Scandinavian Community of Southern California. For twenty-four years he was a member of the Swedish Club of Los Angeles. He was one of the founders of the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Scandinavian Foundation and served as its President in the 1949-50 year. In 1944, in recognition of his service in fostering Swedish-American relations, he was decorated as Knight of the Royal Order of Vasa by the King of Sweden. In Berkeley on November 6, 1918, David Bjork was married to Mary Dorothea Miller. In the charming home that they established many distinguished scholars from this country and from abroad enjoyed their generous hospitality. David Knuth Bjork will be gratefully remembered by colleagues, students, and friends as an inspiring and informing lecturer and by members of his seminar for his skill in helping them find and evaluate existing medieval sources. He is survived by his wife; their son, David Miller Bjork, who is the Director of the American School in Bogotá, Colombia; and three grandchildren. Brainerd Dyer Vern O. Knudsen Waldemar Westergaard

Found him! David Knuth Bjork (Björk) was awarded the Order of Vasa, Knight cross 1st class on April 17th 1944.

Hello! Do you know which class of the order he received? Do you have any idea when he received it? 40s, 50s, 60s or 70s? Was he a Swedish citizen or a foreigner? If a foreigner, from where? With a little more information there should be quite easy (but time-consuming) to find the date. The scrolls are handwritten and sometimes not so easy to read. I don't think it will be possible to find out exactly why he received it. Possibly there might be a newspaper article, but it's not likely. If you try to give more information I can try to find him.

Could the second medal be the russian Order of St George? Medal no. 8 (second from the right) is perhaps the Kriegsdenkmünze of 1813? The ribbon of the last medal looks Russian to me. It looks almost like the ribbon for the Turkish campaign.

Thanks for your reply. Hopefully I will get access to a medal roll of winter war medals for foreigners in a near future. I know that Swedish and Norwegian volunteers are on the list. So I hope the few Germans are also included. The list should at least contain a birth date of recepients. So I hope to come further with the research.

Perhaps a few photos might boost the interest... First the officers cross. As far as I know only awarded around 20 times. Can anyone confirm that number? Secondly the merit cross. Unfortunately it has a enamel damage, but since only two crosses were awarded. I doubt I will find another one.

He received the Grand cross of the Order of the Sword on July 2nd 1890 and the collar on September 20th 1897. Grand cross of the Danish Dannebrogorden on March 4th 1891.

Hello! I wonder if any of any forum member has any information about the medals from Ingria. As far as I know the following medals exists and also a numbered badge. Cross for privates Cross for officers Cross for merit But when browsing through the book on Finnish ODM by Vladimir Glushko he shows what appears to be a merit cross with swords. The picture itself looks photoshopped and there are several errors and photoshopped pictures in the book. But it made me wonder if such a cross exists? Also, does anyone know how many crosses were awarded of the different classes? I've read somewhere that around 20 officers crosses and only 2 merit crosses were awarded. Of the merit crosses one went to a Finnish doctor and the other to an American. But how many crosses to privates? If anyone know of a cross for a private for sale, I am definitely interested! And one last thing, does anyone have any contact information to Vladimir Glushko? I wish to contact him on another matter.

Hello Janne! Here is a picture of some headgear in an exhibition about the jägers. Picture taken from this site: Vapaussodan merkkien ja esineiden näyttely Hohenlockstedtiin – Vapaussotiemme Helsingin seudun perinneyhdistys ry (vapaussodanperinto.fi) You probably already know about this site. But here are alot of photos of the jägers. Kuvagalleria | Jääkäripataljoona 27:n perinneyhdistys (jp27.fi)

He received the different classes of the Swedish order of the Sword as below: Grand cross - June 6h 1908 Commander 1st class - May 9th 1899 Commander 2nd class - December 19th 1893 He received the Danish Dannebrog-orden commander 2nd class November 30th 1891.

Interesting. That one is clearly an early version made long before 1893. Emedals have this for sale. Also an very early order and with the owl-mark.

Thanks Graf! Was french made pieces stamped with the owl or only pieces that were imported in to France (after 1893)?

Here are a photo of the entire piece and a close up on the crown. It size-wise like a knight cross but it's hanging from a neck ribbon which appears to be old and the hook and clasp on the ribbon is also made from what appears to be gold.

Hello! I have a Finnish winter war commemorative medal with it's original paper bag carrying the awarded mans name. It's awarded to a German freiwillige Helmut A. Lemke and as far as I've been told only 18 Germans received the commemorative medal and Helmut was one of them. Is there any way to find any more information about Helmut A. Lemke? As I have understood there sometimes might be information to find at Ancestry.de. But since my skills in German language are very limited and a membership isn't free I ask the community here for help.

Thank you JapanX! You are an infinite source of knowledge.

Thanks for your reply! So the only thing we can say for sure is that the piece was imported in to France sometime after 1893? Have I understood it correctly? The order itself may have been manufactured several years before it being imported to France?

Hello! I have a Swedish order of the North Star from what I believe is middle to late 1800s. The design of the crown is not very Swedish in appearance. And on the ring is a hallmark depicting an owl. I believe the owl-mark is a french hallmark for gold? Is there any way to determine the age of my piece from the hallmark? I have tried google it but didn't find any good answer. Thanks in advance! //Johan

The breast star of the grand cross of the Finnish cross of Liberty with swords and diamonds 1918 was stolen a long time ago and it's destiny is unknown. It's sad since it was the only example with diamonds awarded in 1918. Another interesting thing is that the Swedish medal of the Swords (Svärdsmedaljen) in gold is not the medal that was awaded to the kaiser. The Swedish king, Oscar II had made a single piece of the Swordmedal in gold to give to the kaiser in 1875. After the kaisers death, the original medal was returned to Sweden and a gilt replica was sent as replacement. The original goldmedal is in the royal collection at the Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren). But it is not displayed and the only pictures I know of are in black/white.

The sign of the sword exists in two different versions. With swords and without swords. The one with swords were instituted in 1850 and awarded to NCO:s. Awarding ended in 1974. The one without swords were instituted in 1896 and was awarded to civilian personnel. Awarding ended in 1974. Here are examples from my collection. Sometimes they are maker marked just below the crown on the back. If and when you decide to sell it. Please think of me. ______________________________________________________________________________________ Here are the two classes of the Knight of the order of the Swords. 1st class in 18k gold and the rarer 2nd class in silver. The 2nd class was instituted in 1889 and only awarded to foreigners. A total of 687 awards were made.

Great looking bar! But it would look even better if it were in my collection... At the moment, the award roll for the sign of the sword is not available to the public. But I hope that will change in the future.

Could we see the entire bar? Unusual to see the sign of the sword (Svärdstecknet) on a foreign medal bar. Do you know who the medal bar belonged to?

Yes, that's the fun part of auctions. Sometimes you win and sometimes you loose. Unfortunately for me (fortunately for you) my collecting budget is quite small and there are a few other items I wanted more than this mini. Otherwise the price would have been a lot higher. You got it for a very good price this time.

So it was you who bid against me! Is there any maker marks or similar on it?

I have both 1906 and 1907 and Hullström has the Verdienstkreuz in both of them. Hullström was forrester in Örbyhus which was owned by the von Rosen family so perhaps the Waldeck's was visiting and hunting on the estate? Another interesting thing is that Hullström lived in the town of Marma, in a house called "Villa Waldeck". So there is some kind of connection there. Here is a picture of Hullström.