Austria-Hungary Cased Honour Medal for 40 years Faithful Service

[Iver]

...just today arrived from USA (returned home to "Danube Monarchy" )...

[Iver]

...

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

the medal itself is less common than one could imagine, but this dedicated case is, in my opinion, highly interesting.

Best wishes,

E.L.

[Iver]

Hi Enzo...

I must say, I don´t have seen many cases for this medal... Maybe someone else has got one? Maybe "award" case with inscription on the lid (with name of the medal) or with A-H double headed eagle?

[Trooper_D]

Iver

This is a wonderful combination. It's particularly nice to have the dates that it applies to. In the light of Elmer's comment that it isn't particularly common, I wonder if this narrows down the possible candidates - to the nearest thousand, at any rate

Not wishing to hijack your thread, Iver, but I wonder if you or any of the other sages on this forum can enlighten me as to what the qualifications for this medal were? I have tried googling it and there seems to be very little information, at least in English, on the Internet. As an example of the lack of definitive information available, there seems to be some dispute as to the correct ribbon that it should be found on. Needless to say I have a specific interest in this question - I have just bought a group with one on it and want to decide whether it is 'right' or not ;)

Edited April 4, 2012 by Trooper_D

[Iver]

Trooper_D: can you post a photo of that group? Medal was issued for all those who had comleted 40 years of service on one position in public or civil duty except of active officers...

[Trooper_D]

Iver

Thanks for your reply, which, I confess, has made me a bit uneasy about this group. It gives the indications of being that of an active officer (e.g. Signum Laudis with crossed swords and wartime ribbon as well as jubilee medals with military ribbons) - exactly to whom you say the Signum Laboris XXXX wouldn't be awarded (unless I have misunderstood)

You can see the obverse and reverse of this group in the image below. Apologies for the lack of focus for some of the medals; my scanner doesn't really like scanning objects. Despite that, to my, admittedly inexperienced, eye the ribbons and the backing hessian appear to have some age and don't obviously look to have bee 'thrown together'. However, that doesn't stop a dealer imaginatively replacing, on the same ribbon in the same position, existing medals with something more interesting, does it

I know nothing about the last medal in the group other than it seems, from my googling, to be an award from some kind of regional social association with no military connotations. Perhaps I will start another thread asking about it, rather than divert this one from the Signum Laboris XXXX.

[Iver]

...so we have here:

Bronze Military Merit Medal with swords ("Signum Laudis" on "war" ribbon could be awarded befor WWI, but swords after 13.12.1916)

Honour medal for 40 years faithful service ("XXXX annorum" on civil (!) ribbon which was awarded in 1898-1918 after serving 40 years on one place - so to relatively old men)

Bronze Military Jubilee Commemorative Medal 1898

Military Jubilee Cross 1908

Merit Medal of Carinthian regional Comradeship Association (I am not sure, if this medal is awarded only post WWII)

...I dont like it But thats my personal opinion....

Edited April 6, 2012 by Iver

[Iver]

...if there was Bronze "Signum Laudis" on red ribbon instead of the Honour medal for 40 years faithful service, it would be OK to me But why is there no Karl-Truppen-Kreuz or some WWI Commemorative medal??

Edited April 6, 2012 by Iver

[Trooper_D]

Thank you for your thoughts, Iver.

Merit Medal of Carinthian regional Comradeship Association (I am not sure, if this medal is awarded only post WWII)

I could, perhaps, have found a counterargument for the other observations in your posts but the above comment was the "bayonet between the ribs". My Internet searches appear to confirm your understanding of the Öst. Kameradschaftsbund (ÖKB) medal. From what I can gather from googling, the ÖKB was founded (or, if one accepts that they are a continuation of the original veteran organisations, refounded) in the early 1950s. This medal appears to date from that period, at the earliest, so it is difficult to believe that it could authentically belong with the other medals. Your overall conclusion, therefore, appears to be correct

I don't believe that this group was an intentional fraud as the ÖKB medal would be a strange one to include if it were. The fact that it appears to have 'age' (yes, I know that can be faked) leads me to the conclusion that this group must have been put together in the 1950s, perhaps, by a member of the ÖKB (who had been awarded the ÖKB medal) as an homage to his father and/or grandfather.

My consolation is that the breakup value of this group seems to be rather more than I paid for it (not that I intend to break it up). Rest assured that I will make sure that the 'problems' are signposted if I decide to sell them together.

Lastly, let me apologise if this diversion has caused a distraction from your highly desirable medaille + etui combination.

Edited April 6, 2012 by Trooper_D

[Farkas]

Hi Gents

i’ve just received this today...

i noticed it it listed as a Signum Memoriae and grabbed it sharpish....

To my distraction when I tried google it only offered me ‘porn’ and I didn’t find anything out that this thread didn’t already tell me....

So does anyone have a link to some info about this please?

i’m particularly interested in knowing how many were issued.....

cheers

tony

 

[1812 Overture]

On 11/08/2018 at 08:01, Farkas said:

Hi Gents

i’ve just received this today...

i noticed it it listed as a Signum Memoriae and grabbed it sharpish....

To my distraction when I tried google it only offered me ‘porn’ and I didn’t find anything out that this thread didn’t already tell me....

So does anyone have a link to some info about this please?

i’m particularly interested in knowing how many were issued.....

cheers

tony

 

This is a bit of information in my hand. . I don't think it will give you much help. . PS: I think you will fall in love with me. Haha

[Gordon Craig]

In English as requested.

Name:  Name:	Honorable Medal for 40 Years of Faithful Service	Honor Medal for 40 Years of Faithful Service
Original Title:  Original Name:	Ehrenmedaille für 40jährige treue Dienste
Date of establishment:  Date of Establishment:	18.08.1898
Date of termination:  Date of Termination:	DD.MM.1918
Structure:  Structure:	-	-
Note:  Note:	-	-
Sources:  Sources:	Procházka, Roman von: Österreichisches Ordenshandbuch, München 1974

URL: https://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/25919#412335 Version: 0

seh1 MOD 7 years ago

 

Name:  Name:	Honorable Medal for 40 Years of Faithful Service	Honor Medal for 40 Years of Faithful Service
Original Title:  Original Name:	Ehrenmedaille für 40jährige treue Dienste
Date of establishment:  Date of Establishment:	18.08.1898
Date of termination:  Date of Termination:	DD.MM.1918
Components:  Components:	-	-
Gem:  Badge:	-	-
Jewel photo avers:  Badge Photo Obverse:
Gem Revers:  Badge Photo Reverse:
Star:  Star:	-	-
Star Photo avers:  Star Photo obverse:	-
Star Photo Reverse:  Star Photo Reverse:
Strip:  Ribbon Bar:	-	-
Photo:  Photograph:
Note:  Note:	-	-
Sources:  Sources:	Procházka, Roman von: Österreichisches Ordenshandbuch, München 1974

URL: https://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/25919#412336 Version: 0

seh1 MOD 7 years ago

 

Honorable Medal for Forty Years of Faithfulness

Honors were given by Franz Joseph I. on August 18, 1898, in the 50th anniversary of his government. The medal was intended for all military and civilian persons, except for active officers who have completed 40 years of service on that day or will be able to do so in the future. 

The medal is round, bronze, with a diameter of approx. 35 mm, its weight is about 20 g. On the face there is a bust of the emperor in the golden engraver's coat and a description of FRANC. IOS. IDG IMP. AVSTR. REX BOH ETC. ET REX AP. HVNG (Franz Joseph I of the grace of Emperor of Austria, the King of Bohemia, etc., and the Apostolic King of Hungary), outside partly framed by oak trees.

On the reverse side, there is the XXXX ANNORUM (40 years), around the beams, around the SIGNUM LABORIS FIDELITER PERACTI. At the edge of the medal is the decorative framing. 
Military personnel wore a golden triangular ribbon with a wider black side stripe. 
Civilians wore a red triangle ribbon medal of about 40 mm. 


Sources: 
Koláčný, Ivan: Orders and honors of the Habsburg monarchy, Elka Press, Prague, 2006

URL: https://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/25919#212314 Version: 0

Regards,

Gordon

 

And a translation from another site.

Home > History > Honorable Medal for 40 Years of Faithful Service

Honorable Medal for 40 Years of Faithful Service

The Honorary Medal for Forty Years of Faithful Service (German Ehrenmedaille für 40jährige treue Dienste) was founded by Franz Joseph I on August 18, 1898, in the 50th anniversary of his reign. The medal was intended for all military and civilian persons, except for active officers who have completed 40 years of faithful service on the given day or are in the future in the future.

On the front side is a bust of the emperor in the coat of knight of the Golden Fleece and a description of FRANC. IOS. IDG IMP. AVSTR. REX DEUS ETC. ET REX AP. HVNG (Franz Joseph I of the grace of the Austrian Emperor, the King of Bohemia etc., and the Apostolic King of Hungary), partly outside framed by oak wreath. On the reverse side, there is an XXXX ANNORUM (40 years) banner, surrounded by the SIGNUM Label FIDELITER PERACTI. Military personnel wore decorations on a breast triangular ribbon of yellow color with a wider black side stripe. The civilians wore a medal on a red triangular ribbon with a width of about 40 mm.

 

Source:

• text part taken from forum.valka.cz
• picture part of J & M collection archive © 2012

Honorable Medal for 40 Years of Faithful Service

Honorable Medal for 40 Years of Faithful Service

Více zde: https://fji.webnode.cz/seznam-radu-a-vyznamenani/cestna-medaile-za-40-let-verne-sluzby/

Regards,

Gordon

 

[Farkas]

Thanks for the information...

much appreciated

 

tony