SWEDEN? Order of Amarante ?

[Veteran]

Hello everyone

This cross is 36 x 36 mm in bronze. The AV (or VA) monogram on the obverse center suggests some possible link with the Queen Christina's "Order of Amarante" established in 1653.

The piece looks old enough, but the date on the reverse may refer to some unrelated event or circumstance.

The slightest piece of information would be gratefully received.

Best regards

Veteran

Edited April 11, 2008 by Veteran

[GRA]

Hello Veteran!

I stumbled across this link on the Swedish site www.medalj.nu regarding

the Amaranther Orden, this website isn?t bad at describing current

Swedish military (and some foreign) orders and decorations by the way.

http://www.medalj.nu/ribbon_info.asp?build...B-7784F886D689}

If you want some more, and translated, send me a PM, there?s an official website that could

give more info.

Greetings/GRA

[kimj]

The order has a link to the order of Amarante, but only by name. When Kristina went catholic and moved to Rome it never got awarded again. That was only one year after it was founded, 1654. Later the name got recycled as a Fraternal Order, founded 24 July 1760. So that's where your badge is from. The order still exist today.

/Kim

[Veteran]

Thank you very much for this first and important information.

GRA.

The pictures by on the Swedish Orders website mentioning this order show modern crosses, which differ from the one I am trying to investigate : the crosses on recent pictures have a crown between their arms.

Were the crowns added at a known date ? If so, it would help date this particular cross.

kimj.

The information about the nature of the modern Order is consistant with the story as it now appears. By "Fraternal Order" do you mean Masonic or rather like the Kiwanies or the Lions ?

I am most grateful.

Veteran

[GRA]

Hello Veteran!

I haven?t been able to find a date for the change of design, but if your

cross is made by a decent jeweller it ought to have date stamps. Is there any?

I?m not surprised the cross was found in France, since there was a lot of

contacts between Sweden and France in the late 18th century (at least up to

the French Revolution). By the way, the monogram is supposed to be a double A.

As kimj writes, the order still exists as an order for "social interaction" and their

gatherings are commonly reported in ladies magazines as among its members are

several royal persons. They have introduction of new members every even year

and the main lodge is in Stockholm, with additional chapters in Gothenburg, Malm?,

Karlskrona and Helsinki.

Greetings/GRA

[Veteran]

Wonderful information, thanks a lot GRA !

This piece looks more like silvered bronze than solid silver. No hallmarks. The date seems slightly off compared to the official re-foundation date mentioned by kimj.

Am I right to assume this is preferentially a ladies organisation ?

Gratefully

Veteran

[922F]

Recently, a couple of 1920s-1960s insignia of this organization achieved remarkable (high!) auction prices. Photos on various websites suggest that the crowns appeared between the cross arms in the 1950s-60s or so but Bob McNamara opined that crown may have signified a different grade in the order earlier than that. Some pieces are bronze, some silver, some silver or bronze gilt. Probably some are in gold. Some are uniface and some have the same design on the reverse. Most are about 35-40 mm wide. McNamara had (in the late 1970s) a pin back uniface piece that measured about 65-70 mm in diameter.

Ribbons usually seen on these are like the Ernestine House Order minus the narrow black stripe or some Belgian "unofficial" awards--also, somewhat similar to Hungarian St. Stephan Order ribbon. That is dull red or violet with brighter kelly green side stripes (the hues are sometimes called "Amaranth"). Badges are usually worn on the breast but some appear on sashes. These crosses may also be worn on chains.

It is now the insignia of the well known Swedish charitable organization.

[kimj]

This is what the Finnish chapter says that they do (My translation, original only in Swedish/Finnish):

Order Amarant is a bridge builder between individuals and different parts of society, strengthens the bonds of Nordic community and is a forum for socializing at celebration days and formal balls, arranged every other year.

The order also does charity.

Source:http://www.amarant.fi/

It's not a ladies order. Both men and women can join if they are invited.

As there are seven classes of the order I'm sure there are plenty more to find. Early ones are of course more rare to find.

/Kim

[Peter J]

Here are three decorations and one miniature, all with minor differences in regards of measures and execution.

[Peter J]

reverse

[Peter J]

And finally a 55mm with sash.

cheers

Peter

[Veteran]

Thank you all for this outstanding amount of excellent information.

This is a forum at its top level efficiency !

Greetings

Veteran

[AleksiL]

On 12/04/2008 at 23:21, Peter J said:

And finally a 55mm with sash.

 

cheers

Peter

Hello Peter, ive been looking for a grand cross and a neck badge, do you know where i could find them? And what prices are they usually?