Hungary Two awards presented to Seigfried Frigyes

[Gordon Craig]

Earlier this week I was lucky enough to pick up two cased, high end awards that the vendor says were awarded to the same person. Only one of the awards came with a document but Charles and I have dealt with this vendor for a while and we are both willing to take his word for the fact that they were to the same person. The name is unusual in the way that it is written and one Hungarian collector friend has suggested that these awards were presented to an East German. His theory is that Frigyes is the Hungarian equivalent of Friedrich so the persons name could be Friedrich Seigfried or Seigfried Friedrich depending on how the certificate was made out. Using either the Hungary method of wrting names (family name first) or the German of family name last.

The first one I will post pictures of is the Szocilaista Magyarorsz?g?rt ?rdemrend (Order of Merit for the Socialist Hungary). According to the NMK there were 1965 awarded. This is the post 1980s type with the pins on the back of the ribbon. They were awarded from 1976 until 1989. The medal was designed by Csucs Viktoria.

The case closed.

[Gordon Craig]

The case open.

[Gordon Craig]

A close up of the obverse of the medal.

[Gordon Craig]

The ribbon bar showing the miniature.

[Gordon Craig]

The reverse of the medal and ribbon bar showing the pin on devices.

[Gordon Craig]

A closer view of the reverse of the medal. Note that the star is attached to the wreath in four locations. There are pins on the star that are pushed through four holes in the wreath and then cut off. I can not tell if the ends of the pins have been peaned over or if the star is simply glued into place. I have another one of these cased orders and the pins are left completed and just bent over.

[Gordon Craig]

Az ?prilis Negyedike ?rdemrend (The Order of Merit for April the Fourth)

Created by the President's Council in 1984 "for completing extraordinatry and important heroic work in building socialism etc, etc, etc. NMK lists 2466 awarded and it was awarded until 1989. The only other one of these I have seen for sale was offered in the BEDO auction last fall and it was in the wrong case. I won't both showing the case for this medal as, except for the insert, it is identical to the previous one shown in this thread.

The case open showing the medal and the ribbon bar.

Edited March 6, 2008 by Gordon Craig

[Gordon Craig]

A close up of the obverse.

[Gordon Craig]

A close up of the ribbon bar showing the miniature.

[Gordon Craig]

The reverse of the medal and the ribbon bar.

[Gordon Craig]

The recessed bottom of the case.

[Gordon Craig]

The carrying document for the April Fourth award. Interesting to note that the document is dated 195 and the number indicates they have only awarded 50% of the final award total.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited March 6, 2008 by Gordon Craig

[Hauptmann]

Hi Gordon,

An exquisite set! You are indeed a very lucky man! A shame the doc was not available for the other award... but to have the one and to know it's a set to the same individual is just priceless! And to have the proper cases to boot! Doesn't happen every day... that's for sure.

Congratulations my friend!!!! Keep up the good work!!!!

Dan

[Gordon Craig]

Dan,

Thanks for the kind words. I was indeed lucky the day I bought these two medals. I almost didn't visit the store that day. I had bought my wife a set of earrings for our wedding anniversary and she couldn't wear them so on the following Monday we went back to the store to change them. Since the jewellery store was close to the medals store when my wife asked what I was going to do with the rest of my afternoon I said I would visit the medals store. However, as we walked back to the tram shop I changed my mind and told my wife I would just head for home. She talked me out of that and back into going to the medals store. Very good on her part! For the last two months there has not been anything new in the shops in Budapest and I was pleasantly surprised to see these two high end medals in the show case. I hummed and hawed over the price of April 4th medal as it was significantly higher than the one which sold at the last BEDO auction. Ieventually came to my senses and bought them both instead of just the one. I was very pleased when I returned home and checked my files and discovered that the BEDO auction April 4th medal had been in the wrong case. Made me feel good about my decision.

Regards,

Gordon

[Hauptmann]

Dan,

Thanks for the kind words. I was indeed lucky the day I bought these two medals. I almost didn't visit the store that day. I had bought my wife a set of earrings for our wedding anniversary and she couldn't wear them so on the following Monday we went back to the store to change them. Since the jewellery store was close to the medals store when my wife asked what I was going to do with the rest of my afternoon I said I would visit the medals store. However, as we walked back to the tram shop I changed my mind and told my wife I would just head for home. She talked me out of that and back into going to the medals store. Very good on her part! For the last two months there has not been anything new in the shops in Budapest and I was pleasantly surprised to see these two high end medals in the show case. I hummed and hawed over the price of April 4th medal as it was significantly higher than the one which sold at the last BEDO auction. Ieventually came to my senses and bought them both instead of just the one. I was very pleased when I returned home and checked my files and discovered that the BEDO auction April 4th medal had been in the wrong case. Made me feel good about my decision.

Regards,

Gordon

You are very welcome my friend. And it's terrific to see that you also have a supportive wife when it comes to your hobby. I've bragged on Kim for years and she deserves it. Shoot... tomorrow she's taking me to the local gun show. May not find anything I want but it'll be enjoyable all the same, especially being in her company. And who knows... she may find one she wants! I know when I purchased my SKS and Mak91 (basically a semi-auto AK with longer titanium lined barrel) with 30 round banana clips and 75 round drum bag, bipod, etc., thinking the SKS would be for her... which do you think she went for?

As to this set... yet again you made the right choice. There are times you've just got to go with your gut feeling. And the way I look at it is... if you pay what you feel is a bit more than it might be worth... if you love it and it will give you pleasure owning it then it's well worth it. And over time it's sure to increase in value many times!

Just can't say enough... a wonderful set. Here's to many more that are yet to be found and acquired!

Dan