Sweden Trying to find the decorations to a swede

[Great Dane]

Hello all,

With the help of the GMIC gentlemen kimj, I have a suggested owner of my miniature bar shown in this thread: Swedish miniature bar

There are a few discrepancies, but he had a long career in the Red Cross and participated in the Finnish winter war as well.

The name is John F. Philipson (1902-1976).

I don't know if the Swedish State- and Court calendars list recipients of the swedish orders with their other decorations, or if the recipients are listed in a special 'order calendar', but if a member with access to this type of books could please look him up?

He received the Swedish Order of Vasa (unknown class), and the book should preferably be from around 1975 (or at least before he died).

Any help is appreciated.

/Michael

[kimj]

Micheal

The Swedish "statskalender" stoped listing orders in 1955. After that all orders were listed in the "ordenskalender". The foreign orders, no foreign medals are listed, are only listed if "utrikesdepartementet" (state department) had records of it. They kept good records, but not 100% complete ones. So the information must be taken with a pinch of salt.

I'll try your bar at the Swedish forum. I think chances are a bit better getting answers. If you'd like I can always unleash an "email storm" on the Red Cross in Gothenburg. They are bound to have more info. Perhaps even a photo of the good doctor wearing the bar...

/Kim

[Great Dane]

Now that would be really amazing!

Any information you can find is appreciated highly, thanks.

/Michael

[Great Dane]

P.S:

I did some research myself, but only found out that he was from a well-known swedish jewish family and that he had a lot to do with the Red Cross.

He actually wrote a book about his Red Cross experiences.

So the combined facts of having received the Göteborg medal, a lot of Red Cross work and participating in the Finnish winter war does point in his direction...

/Michael

[kimj]

Michael

Here's an update on what is new:

According to one of my collecting colleagues at skalman.nu Philipson became commander of Vasaorden in 1965. That would explain the missing RVO. You don't wear your RVO when you are a KVO.

I'm in the process in mailing the archives. But I doubt much will come from them. They want money for everything they do and prices are... Too bad you picked up a west coast medal bar. Gothenburg is too far away for me to dig in the archives. Stockholm on the other hand is almost next door. Think of that for next time.

Do you have his book about the Red cross experience? I saw that he also wrote a couple of children's books.

/Kim

[Great Dane]

Kim,

You have helped a lot already, thanks!

And thanks to your collecting colleague.

So you wouldn't wear the KVO as a miniature with a rosette with 'wings'?

I'm in the process of buying his Red Cross book (quite cheap so it doesn't matter if I can use it or not...)

Well, the bar was bought in Stockholm...

/Michael

[kimj]

When I was going over my info on Swedish city medals (a never ending project for me) I disovered something interesting... The pic of Gothenburg's medal, found on an auction site, is probably the original for your mini Michael. I've had that pic for a looooong time but never made the connection. Anyway, it's out there somewhere and made of gold. So it's a treasure to look for.

I've had no reply from the archive. But they can be slow and there's still hope for more info.

Did you get the book? Anything good?

/Kim

[Great Dane]

Very interesting indeed!

So this was a single medal - not mounted in a group?

Yes, I got the book, but it is very confusingly written - each chapter is just a memory of something he experienced without any real life story or connection between the chapters.

It does however confirm that he was in Greece at the time frame for the Greek Red Cross 1946-49 medal.

So all in all I'm pretty sure he is the man

/Michael

[kimj]

It was just a single. I don't think the seller had any other medals for sale. Gold medals have bad habit of wander from groups... From the faded ribbon I guess he had his big medals mounted on the wall. For use at social events he had his minis.

I can't see any other candidates for your bar. I hope the archive will give something more. If they don't reply in resonable time I'll ask again. Asking is free of charge.

/Kim

[kimj]

I got a reply from the Red Cross archive today. Not what we hoped for. No pics of his medal bar, but one of the man himself. To the left dr Philipson to the right... I don't know. Maybe she's the president of his fan club.

/Kim

[Great Dane]

Hi Kim,

Well, at least a face to put on the name

Thanks a lot for your effort

/Michael