Austria-Hungary Austro-Hugarian Empire

[Veteran]

Hello all members

I am puzzled about this medal . It is gilt (silver?) 27mm diameter. According to v. Prochazka (?sterreichisches Ordenshanbuch, M?nchen 1974) it is the Service Medal for Hugarian troups in the Silesian War of 1748.

It looks quite all right to me, but I wonder about a medal that old. How does one know it is an original? Restrikes may have been made, how can one tell them?

The book I mentioned does not carry a picture of one. But there is one in v. Falkenstien, unfortunately very poor.

Would an original be rare?

Comments and advice will be gratefully received. Thank you.

Very best regards

Veteran

[Josef Rietveld]

@veteran

a) never heard before, never seen before

b) can't find it in my prochazka, can you guide me?

haynau

[paul wood]

@veteran

a) never heard before, never seen before

b) can't find it in my prochazka, can you guide me?

haynau

Dear Veteran,

I am assuming that the photograph is an enlargement, according to Falkenstein the medal is 27 mm. As far as I can see from the image I can see no cause for alarm as to the authenticity.

Maria Theresia was King (yes king) in Hungary and the Magyars tended to be the HRE's cannon fodder. I would suggest that the medal is at least scarce, if not rare.

All the best,

Paul

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

yes, the medal is an original piece, still retaining its original gilding.

The piece illustrated in v. Falkenstien's (Dan Ragsdale's) book is the one belonged to the Fattovich collection. It reminds me of long ago, but I remember that piece, among those Prof. F. liked most.

It is a rare piece, although I don't have an idea of its actual value.

Regards,

Enzo

Dear Veteran,

I am assuming that the photograph is an enlargement, according to Falkenstein the medal is 27 mm. As far as I can see from the image I can see no cause for alarm as to the authenticity.

Maria Theresia was King (yes king) in Hungary and the Magyars tended to be the HRE's cannon fodder. I would suggest that the medal is at least scarce, if not rare.

All the best,

Paul

[Veteran]

Thanks to all of you for this wonderful help.

Haynau will find the reference to the medal in Prochazka under N?1092, page 125 "Verdienstmedaille f?r die ungarishen Truppen im Schlesischen Krieg". I will be grateful for his comments.

Thank you Paul for your help and advice. You know how highly I value your wonderful knowledge of Orders and medals world-wide; yes, the pictures were enlarged for better reading, the medal being 27mm as described in the book refered to supra. I am very pleased you feel it looks right.

Enzo, it is wonderful that you should refer to Prof. Fatovich who very kindly showed me a large part of his fantastic collection, just a few months before he departed this World. He was a very distinguisehd gentleman and an outright lover of Austrian Orders and Medals.

I am delighted you feel it is a rare piece. Strangely, it was bought years ago in one of the shops of the Paris Flea Market, just because it appealed to me. It has been sleeping in a drawer for a very long.

If it had not been for this excellent forum, I would probably never been able to appreciate it.

I am very grateful, and will be pleased to learn as much about it as possible.

Sincerely

Veteran.

[Elmar Lang]

Dear Veteran,

it is also possible to find your medal in some of the "classics" of phaleristic literature:

it is mentioned in:

Hermann von Heyden: "Ehren-Zeichen der erloschenen und bl?henden Staaten Deutschlands und Oesterreich-Ungarns"; Meiningen, 1897, page 226, no. 960. (von Heyden writes that the "R" under Maria Theresia's bust means "Rosnavia", the site of the Royal Hungarian Mint).

The same piece was auctioned in v. Heyden's sale of Oct. 19th 1898; lot no. 819 (a second piece, under no. 820).

Again, the medal appears in the famous auction catalogue of the Julius Collection, "Krieg und Frieden in der Medaille und in der Gedenkm?nze - II. Teil 1740-1804"; R. Gaettens, Heidelberg, 6-8 Nov. 1958; lot no. 1801

I'm happy to know that you've had the pleasure to meet Prof. Fattovich. I can't forget his patience, kindness and hospitality. When I had the honour to know him I was just a student moving my first steps in phaleristics and being lucky enough to live in Venice...

I hope that these further details would be of help,

sincerely,

Enzo

Edited August 31, 2007 by Elmar Lang

[Veteran]

Thank you very much. I really feel I understand this medal better.

I will try to go further in depth if possible.

Best regards to everyone

Veteran