JohanH

The competition on November 19th was a females gymnastics competition according to a small notice in a newspaper from that date.

Pehr Henrik Ling was the father of swedish gymnastics and is featured on many swedish sportmedals. On the back it says: Team 1st price Sweden - Czechoslovakia November 19th 1954 It is probably from some kind of gymnastics competition. It might be possible to find more information about the event. I’ll see if I can find anything tomorrow.

I’ll post the entire chain when I get home next weekend. I also have another mini of the olympic medal i can post at the same time.

Unfortunately I have no idea why he received the Sudwest-Afrika medal. German medals are not my strong side.

It's a great star you have. This first type of metalstar (and the best looking type if you ask me) was awarded between 1871-1919. During these years a total of 633 Commander 1st class stars were awarded. Does your star have any hallmarks?

As promised. Here are the miniature of the Swedish Olympic Medal of 1912. Mounted on the chain of miniatures that belonged to Paulus Palén, Swedish Olympic shooter.

Sir Colin Keppel received the order of the Sword on November 17th 1908 according to the award roll.

Hello! Is it possible to get some close ups on that gorgeous bar with Finnish decorations? Awesome collection!

It's a very nice medalbar with the unusual 2nd class order of the Sword. Of a total of 687 awarded 2nd class orders 149 went to Germans (all states) 71 went to Prussians So it's not that common to find.

I have also had my eyes on that medalbar but lack of funds stopped me from buying it. I like it even more since it's ID:able. Medalbars with a name attached is more interesting than nameless bars.

Is this medalbar in your collection?

It seems like they have both his diaries and 5000 photos in their archive. So they must have at least one photo that shows his awards. Carl und Liselott Diem-Archiv - Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln (dshs-koeln.de) If you find out anything, please keep us updated! I am curious about what you might find out.

Just glad to be able to help! It sure is a great medalbar you have! I think you should try to contact the Carl and Liselett Diem Archive and ask them if they know of any photos that shows his medalbar or if they can confirm that he had the Romanian order (just to verify that it really is his medals). The Swedish Olympic commemorative medal of 1912 was according to several sources awarded around 650 times. So it's a bit unusual and not the most common medal. I have a great miniature chain on it's way (it's stuck in the Swedish customs atm) that has the olympic medal of 1912 on it. The chain have belonged to one of the Swedish pistol shooters that won a team gold medal and a individual silver medal during the 1912 Olympics.

There is only one person that fits in with your list and the Vasa order 2nd class list.... So depending on whether the Vasa order is a 1st or 2nd class it's either: Dr. Martin or Carl Diem I have tried to find a picture of Diem with his medals but no luck. But it appears that Diem fought during the first world war which would explain the IC and the Braunschweig Honor Cross. Diem enlisted in the German army and served in Belgium and France. He was wounded at St. Quentin, recovered, and fought at both Champagne and the Argonne.

My opinion is that I don't believe the bar belonged to Dr. Martin. Yes, Dr. Martin received the Knight 1st class of the Vasa order in 1912, on July 20th to be precise. He never got a 2nd class Vasa-order. I can't see any logical reason to mount a 2nd class silver order instead of the gold one he received. The 2nd class Knight cross is much rarer than the 1st class. A total of 1471 awards of 2nd class compared to many thousands of 1st class crosses. (I'm not done with the rolls of the Vasa order yet so the total number is still unknown.) The Swedish government decided that from 1924 (or 1926, I don't remember) that all orders (Sword, North star and Vasa) awarded to foreigners would be made from gilded bronze/silver and not 18k gold. The decision was made to save money. If you have the list of German functionaries I can check it against my list of 2nd class crosses and hopefully we find something.

Here are my little contribution of Swedes with the Hohenzollern House Order. I don't know if these are known already or whether they received it with or without swords. Hjalmar Mauritz Lagerström Born 1888-01-13 in Enköping, Sweden Died 1975-10-19 in Stockholm, Sweden Albert Edvin Ekdahl Born 1885-08-17 in Karlsborg, Sweden Died 1967-12-06 in Solna, Sweden Carl Robert Douglas Born 1880-04-24 in Konstanz, Germany Died 1955-08-26 Ernst Lars Isaac Silfversvärd Born 1863-12-26 in Stockholm, Sweden Died 1949-08-01 in Stockholm, Sweden And finally one "with crown and swords" Gustaf David Gilbert John William Hamilton Born 1869-03-20 in Tillberga, Sweden Died 1947-08-11 in Linköping, Sweden

It might work to use a handheld PMI XRF gun to do an material analyze. It does not make any damage on the tested subject and since it's handheld it could easily be carried with you and do the same test on any old cannon. Then you might find out if they are both made from the same type of material composition. The biggest problem with these test guns is the price...

Hello! Old thread I know. Is the Order of Vasa gold/gilded or silver? On the pictures it looks like silver which would mean that it's a 2nd class and Dr. Martin isn't the original owner. Since Dr. Martin received his Vasa order in 1912 it should be made of 18k gold. If I remember correctly they year they changed to gilded bronze to foreigners was in 1924. Only 196 germans received the Order of Vasa 2nd class knight.

Thank you very much! This is exactly what I needed to know.

Hello! Can anybody help me to find what awards Carl Johannes Hugo Frahne from Prussia was awarded. Or any other information available. What I know is that he is listed as leutnant and attaché in Sweden in 1910, in 1925 he is listed as a former captain. He received the Swedish order of the Sword Knight 2nd class in 1908 and the Swedish order of Vasa knight 1st class in 1911.

Hello! It's the grand cross with red decoration (con distintivo rojo). Red decoration is awarded for courage, actions, deeds or service during an armed conflict or military operations that involve or may involve the use of armed force and may require significant military or command skills; since 2007 it can be awarded to for acts of gallantry while on an overseas mission and to soldiers fallen during such a mission. Cross of Military Merit - Wikipedia

Hello! He was born in 1815 so I don't think he wears the 1813 Iron Cross. It does look like two iron crosses but could it be the Military merit cross from Mecklenburg-Schwerin?

The photograph is from the collection of the Swedish war museum. I have thought about the same thing myself and I don't think there are two miniatures missing. All of Aminoffs awards is on the chain except for a commander grade of the North star order. But he would wear that one around his neck so that might explain why it's not on the chain. I think that the brighter part of the chain where it looks like a miniature once was is the place where the two chains have been soldered together. There is a similar bright part on the other end of the chain too. And finally, if there has been a bracket for another miniature, then it must have been cut of by a jeweller or similar. My guess would be that a person in Aminoffs position would have the chain totally re-done rather than just cutting of a bracket.

Thank you Owain! The chain belonged to chamberlain Gregor Carl Georg Aminoff. Born 1872 and died 1934. I also have the miniature bar that belonged to his son Georg Aminoff.

The marks on the ring are Swedish hallmarks and maker marks. As far as I have found, only 8 swedes received the grand officer of the Star of Ethiopia. Here it is mounted on the chain with the other miniatures. The one missing is probably the commemorative medal of the kings jubilee 1928. I think I have a spare mini of that one somewhere. When I find it I will mount it to complete the chain.