Hawaii - medals

[James Hoard]

I have seen lots of information about the orders of the kingdom of Hawaii. However, I have never seen any informaion on or pictures of any medals.

Does anyone have informaion on the medals of the erstwhile kingdom of Hawaii or any illustrations?

Cheers,

James

[Ulsterman]

Off the top of my head there's the Order of Kamemeaha (sp?) which was given out before the US annexation (and may still be out there as a household award).

there are also state awards>

See here:

http://www.medalofvalor.com/Hawaii.htm

Floyd, Johnson and Paine, the US medal auction house had one at their last sale.

I'll bet Jeff Floyd, a Principal of the firm, can show us a few items.

I always wondered why they (FJP) didn't upload their auction photos on to the OMSA database.

Edited October 29, 2008 by Ulsterman

[922F]

Try Werlich for photos. Merica and a couple of other generalist books show photos. Megan probably has some too.

Gordon Medcalf (?) published a booklet containing illustrations and very complete info in the 1960s-70s. The OMSA library has a copy.

[James Hoard]

Thanks chaps.

I am afraid neither Werlich nor Medclaf discuss or illustrate the medals, only the orders. Hence my question.

Cheers,

James

[JBFloyd]

The only medal I'm aware of for Hawaiia was their Long Service Medal from the 1890s, which are quite rare (The ceremonial guard at the Iolani Palce used to wear modern repros of that medal because originals just weren't around). You do see some Marksmanship badges occasionally (a 10-bar Hawaiian National Guard Marksmanship badge just sold on eBay in the past month). I have an 1894 Marksman's Badge, but had never seen a multiple bar award like that.

[IVB]

I'm interesting to see Hawaii royal medals too. I've seen the silver medal of the order of Kalakua I. It's very nice!

Regards, IVB.

[Ed_Haynes]

There are some images of the orders over at the OMSA database, see http://www.omsa.org/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=1009

[James Hoard]

I'm interesting to see Hawaii royal medals too. I've seen the silver medal of the order of Kalakua I. It's very nice!

Regards, IVB.

Hi IVB,

I did a google search and found a Russian website with such a silver medal. Is that what you mean?

On closer inspection, I wasn't all that certain that the medal shown belonged to the Order of Kalakaua. Looks more like someone has stuck a blue and whie ribbon on it and sold is as such. If you look closely, there is nothing else to make the connection. The obverse has the date 1886, which has no significance. The Order of Kalakaua was founded on 28th September 1875 and the order insignia all have the date 1874, since it was created to commemorate the King's Coronation on 12th February 1874.The engraving on the reverse looks like it was a once-off presentation medal to an individual in 1889.

Cheers,

James

[922F]

Medcalf published 2 or 3 editions. One discusses medals....will try to find which & get back in a few days.

[ilja559]

King Kalakaua

[Alex K]

There are some images of the orders over at the OMSA database, see http://www.omsa.org/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=1009

All that I have

regards

Alex

[Megan]

As always, I have more than I've yet found time to put on the website!

Must get round to it....

[922F]

Donald Medcalf and Ronald Russell authored Hawaiian Money, published in 1978. This book includes descriptions of nine royal Hawaiian medals (pp. 89-90) and illustrates 4 of them. It is not clear if all were state awards or whether all could be worn officially. All apparently could be worn from ribbons.

Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society Medal 1850

King David Kalakaua election medal 1874 (diamond shape)--red, white, blue ribbon

Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society Medal 1882

King Kalakaua I coronation medal 1882 (crowned 9 [sic!] years after his election)

Kalakaua & Kapiolani Medal 1884 for their 10th anniversary (presented & sold)

King Kalakaua Jubilee medal 1886 blue ribbon (presented & sold)

King Kalakaua I Jubilee medal 1886 different inscription (presented & sold)

National Guard medal (royal) 1894

Holo Hana Cross No date-includes a fire chief trumpet 2 red, 2 yellow stripes.

I transcribed this info from a copy of the book held in the OMSA library in the mid-1980s but did copy the illustrations. The book also illustrates royal Hawaiian Order insignia, provides a generally held to be accurate number of awards of each class of most Orders, and offers price estimates.

[James Hoard]

[quote name='922F' date='Oct 31 2008, 20:08 ' post='300399']

Donald Medcalf and Ronald Russell authored Hawaiian Money, published in 1978. This book includes descriptions of nine royal Hawaiian medals (pp. 89-90) and illustrates 4 of them. It is not clear if all were state awards or whether all could be worn officially. All apparently could be worn from ribbons.

Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society Medal 1850

King David Kalakaua election medal 1874 (diamond shape)--red, white, blue ribbon

Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society Medal 1882

King Kalakaua I coronation medal 1882 (crowned 9 [sic!] years after his election)

Kalakaua & Kapiolani Medal 1884 for their 10th anniversary (presented & sold)

King Kalakaua Jubilee medal 1886 blue ribbon (presented & sold)

King Kalakaua I Jubilee medal 1886 different inscription (presented & sold)

National Guard medal (royal) 1894

Holo Hana Cross No date-includes a fire chief trumpet 2 red, 2 yellow stripes.

I transcribed this info from a copy of the book held in the OMSA library in the mid-1980s but did copy the illustrations. The book also illustrates royal Hawaiian Order insignia, provides a generally held to be accurate number of awards of each class of most Orders, and offers price estimates.

[James Hoard]

Further images of the Order of the Crown and the Cross.

Engraving of King Kamehemeha III wearing sash and breast star.

Poor quality close up of a portrait of Kamehemeha III wearing the badge, from the Bishop Museum, Honolulu.

Cheers,

James

[922F]

James,

Medcalf & Russell's Hawaiian medals list is useful in that it provides a bare bones outline but, like yourself, I find it unsatisfying. It could well be incomplete or inaccurate. Very likely, Medcalf didn't have any definite info so simply listed what he found. One might expect additional royal "event" commemorative medals, for example. Another perhaps obvious royal Hawaiian medallic incident/opportunity could be the "exploration-colonization" voyages to the South Pacific.

I do not recall whether Medcalf & Russell discuss the Order of the Crown & Cross (but think I would have noted that). Perhaps someone with access to Medcalf's 1978 book could clarify?

Either Gary Krug or Bill Koonce had an example of a supposed Crown & Cross badge that eventually got to Bob McNamara. The badge resembled a no crown type royal Order of Cambodia badge with more pronounced rays and a sunburst in the center. It was small, maybe 3 cm. wide & looked hand-made. The ribbon loop was not movable and fixed to the reverse--it had no ribbon. This description tracks with the color picture you posted. I did not see it in McNamara's collection after about 1992-3. G. Tammann bought a lot of Bob's stuff but there's no Hawaiian in the UBS catalog.

McNamara told me that Medcalf owned a coin shop in Hawaii and ran across a stash of Hawaiian insignia while working in the basement of the royal palace in the 1960s. A nearby box had some of the order chancery records. These formed the basis for Medcalf's work.

Since you know the Bishop museum, you've probably visited the palace. Formerly (thru early-mid '90s) there were several order insignia on display in the king's office and in the throne room. Don't know if they're still there but seem to remember a table medal amongst the display--maybe one of the agricultural society items.

Cheers

[James Hoard]

To confuse matters a little more, here's a photograph of King Kamehemeha III towards the close of his life when quite ill. He wears a breast star of a very different design from those seen in the earlier pictures.

Cheers,

James

[James Hoard]

Hi 922

Thanks for the additional background information.

Indeed, I did visit the palace years ago and saw the magnificent display, including a lovely bejewelled collar. Alas, in those days I had no interest in medals, only orders. Thus paid no attention whatever to any medals on display!

Cheers,

James

[James Hoard]

Here's a link to an image of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society Medal

http://www.exonumia.com/tenup/ten0030a.jpg

Cheers,

James

[922F]

James,

King Kamehemeha III's star format (latest photo) looks more like the badge McNamara had than the painting depiction but suppose that's to be expected. However, I notice that the breast badge worn by King Kamehemeha IV (earlier posted photo) appears to have a crown suspension (McNamara's did not) and either a side-to-side striped ribbon or bars?

When rereading my Oct 31 post, I see that I said I had copied the 1978 Medcalf book illustrations. Unfortunately, that is incorrect. I believe that the 1894 National Guard medal had a crown suspension but none of the others shown did--the photos were different sizes and not especially clear.

[James Hoard]

Hi 922,

Yes, it sounds like the badge worn by KIV is a different decoration. I may be the one you quote as being described by Medcalf. Looking closely one sees that the ribbon has horizontal stripes. However, KIV reigned 1854-1863, so it may have been instituted long before 1894.

It would appear that the negative of the original picture that I posted was reversed. I found another one which is very slightly larger. Given the lanyard, the medal obviously should be on the right chest.

Cheers,

James

[Dragomir]

Gentlemen,

This a late call to the theme of Hawaiian medals, but I just found a partial photostat copy of a Catalogue of an exhibition dedicated to Kamehameha, and there are some clues as to the issue of Hawaiian medals. Since front pages are missing, I can contribute only the incomplete information, but I am sure that in some good public library the full copy of the Catalogue can be traced.

Here is the :

- King David Kalakaua election medal 1874 (diamond shape)--red, white, blue ribbon: No. 263 in the Catalogue, described as being silver, gold, silk, enamel. Size is 4,6x11,2 cm (obviously together with ribbon, which - I guess - is white-blue-red-blue-white). There is Spanish-looking metal clasp at the top of the ribbon. The lozenge shaped Medal is charged with an engraved Maltese cross defaced with a heart shaped medallion inscribed K. Above the cross is engraved MOI, under 1884, left and right Feb. 12.

- Kalakaua & Kapiolani Medal 1884 for their 10th anniversary (presented & sold): No. 264 in Catalogue. Size is 31mm, silver, surmounted by a Hawaiian Crown and elaborate metal ornament. Obverse displays profile portraits of Kapiolani and Kalakaua surrounded by a circumscription KALAKAUA - KAPIOLANI - FEB.12.1884. . I can not recognize ribbon colours.

- King Kalakaua Jubilee medal 1886 blue ribbon (presented & sold): No. 265 in Catalogue. Size is 39mm, silver, surmounted by a Hawaiian Crown and elaborate metal ornament. Obverse displays contourned profile of Kalakaua, surrounded with circumscrpiton KALAKAUA MOI O HAWAII 1886. I can not recognize the ribbon colours.

- Coat of Arms Medal: No. 266 in the Catalogue. Size is 55 mm, gold and brass, in shape of a sanded Maltese cross with polished edges. Central medallion is circular and charged in obverse with Hawaaian Greater Coat of Arms. No ribbon known.

- Hail Kalakaua Medal: No. 267 in the Catalogue. Size is 35x50mm, gold, in shape of a baroque targe, with engrabved Royal Crown of Hawaii in center of obverse surrounded with text KALAKAUA 1883 REX HAWAII engraved above and under the Crown, and in reverse AVE KALAKAUA 1893 POLUNESIAE. No ribbon known.

- World Tour Medal: No. 268 in the Catalogue. Maltese cross made of stainless steel, with central medallion made as revolving terrestrial globe of ceramics with marking of the around-the-world Royal Tour 1881. The cross is surmounted with a steel ribband knotted and engraved 1874-1881. The ribbon is (my guess!) blue, edged white along the dexter (heraldic) side, and blue at the sinister.

Dragomir

[heusy68]

Hello Gentlemen,

Lots of people have heard about,but nobody seems to have kept a file concerning this medal.Hopefully I did print the page of the catalogue which was then online.It was auctionned in may 2003 in Germany.The starting price was 1250 euro,and if my memory is good it was sold 2000 euro ( +20 % of course).In that auction there was 6 others hawaian Order (Kalakaua & Kapiolani)

The catalogue discribed it.Dimension : 43,5 x 31 millimeter.Weight : 16 grammes in silver.The catalogue said that only 6 specimen of this medal are known.

I have to add that Order of Kalakaua Knight have their ribbon with wider bleu stripes.The ribbon on this medal looks more like Order of San Marino

Reverse picture will follow.

Emmanuel

[heusy68]

And its reverse.

[James Hoard]

I made several separate posts yester day about the Order of the Crown and Cross, the Order of Arossi, the Klakaua Jubilee Medal and the Queen Kapiolani Medal. All deleted. No explanation and without so much as a by your leave.

 

Why was this done?