Arts & Science medals

[Wild Card]

Gentlemen,

In a recent thread on Waldeck decorations, I posted pictures of a Waldeck medal for arts and science. The unique design and quality of the workmanship of that piece has made me think that this subject deserves more attention.

Arts and science decorations seem to be an overlooked and under appreciated area of Imperial German decorations. As mentioned before they tend to be unique in design and their quality often reflects the ultimate medalist?s and engraver?s work. While easily dismissed for having been awarded to artists and scientists, in fact they were awarded to a wide variety of personages. For example General Ferdinand Zeppelin was awarded the W?rttemberg large gold medal for arts and science and Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke, the elder, was awarded the Prussian Pour le Merite for Arts and Science.

Below are two examples, each of which illustrate the uniqueness of these decorations. The first is an arts and science decoration 2nd class, 1st section, from Brunswick which shows one of the more unique designs. The second is a large gold medal from W?rttemberg which reflects the engraver?s art at it?s highest level.

I hope that you enjoy this presentation and encourage the submission of additional material.

Thank you,

Wild Card

[Wild Card]

Brunswick Arts & Science medal, 2nd class, 1st section

[Wild Card]

W?rttemberg large medal for Arts & Science, obverse

[Wild Card]

W?rttemberg large medal for Arts & Science, reverse.

[Wild Card]

Detail.

[Stogieman]

Hi WildCard! Great thread and some very obscure medals & awards!! Talk about a "short list".... holy smokes.

[VtwinVince]

Very interesting subject, thanks for posting these. BTW my grandmother's brother, Prof. Dr. Ludwig Finscher, is a current recipient of the Pour le Merite fuer Kunst und Wissenschaft and is the world's leading expert on the Viennese baroque (music), which is timely considering that this is Mozart Year.

[medalnet]

here is the golden Ludwigs medal for Arts and Science:

[attachmentid=25559]

[Ed_Haynes]

Lovely things, lovely things. They set a very different artistic standard from the military stuff, don't they.

[medalnet]

The medal is made from Dukatengold, which is rather soft. to ensure that the medal did not fall out of its frame a much harder gold with high non-gold content (Silver) was used as frame material. This explains why the frame and agraffe looks always a bit dirty.

[attachmentid=25560]

[Schießplatzmeister]

[attachmentid=26644]

Hello Wildcard:

Here is one of my favorite Arts and Sciences groupings!

"SPM"

[Schießplatzmeister]

[attachmentid=26645]

Here is a closer scan of the Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha medal.

"SPM"

[Wild Card]

Hi Schie?platzmeister

Many thanks for your post, that is a beautiful little group. Can you tell us what the medal in the middle is?

Your post points up an interesting point in that it shows how exceedingly rare decorations do come along in miniature form. Thanks again for sharing.

Best wishes,

Wild Card

[Schießplatzmeister]

Hello Wildcard:

Sorry for the poor scan, but this format won't allow me to load anything with higher resolution yet. The medal in the middle is the Silver Medal for "Arts and Letters", Oscar II of Sweden/Norway. It is marked "L.A." for Lea Ahlborn. These medals were awarded from 1859-1905/7.

The first medal has the die-sinker's mark "HELFRICHT F." and is 18mm in diameter. This of course was the Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha medal for Civic Merit/Arts and Sciences (1835-37, or 1837-58 coinage, I am not sure which).

The third cross is still a bit of a mystery. It is like a merit cross of the S.E.H.O., but with a hinged crown. It is made of silver. I have not been able to nail down any official award which looked like it. The reverse simply has the center of a S.E.H.O. merit cross.

It would seem strange that the first two awards were made so precisely, but the third seems like a "fantasy" piece. Maybe there is someone out there who can identify it.

This recipient also received a Carl XV of Sweden (1859-1872) gold medal. It is not known exactly what that award was as the reverse could not be seen. Unfortunately, that particular miniature piece (buttonhole miniature with ribbons) was purchased by someone else (I did TRY to get it!).

Whoever the recipient was, he was rather accomplished in his field (Science, Art, Literature?).

Thanks for your interest!

Best regards,

"SPM"

[Wild Card]

Hi Schie?platzmeister,

Well, you got me good on that one! I would have bet on a Lippe golden merit medal (1st striking) for sure.

That Saxon cross certainly is a mystery. As far as I can tell, none of the merit crosses to the Ernestine Order had a crown; and although some of the Saxon Duchies? arts and science decorations approached the merit crosses to the Ernestine Order in appearance; again, I don?t think that there were any with crowns.

The Swedish/Norwegian connection is interesting and may hold the answer. If you have a chance, run it by Tim Eriksen, he has some knowledge of that area. Please let us know if anything turns up on this.

Best wishes,

Wild Card

[saschaw]

Well, you're right, these "Kunst und Wissenschaft" awards are some of the most beautiful Imperials, but the Baden actually isn't, unfortunallity.

SO I don't have a Baden one, but a nice Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha.

Enjoy ...

Edited August 22, 2006 by saschaw

[saschaw]

They are much more beautiful coming along CASED, aren't they?

[Mike Dwyer]

Very, very nice, Saschaw!

[seeheld]

Here is the very rar silver Medal on neck ribbon from Mecklenburg-Schwerin!

[seeheld]

backside

[saschaw]

I have another medal for "Kunst und Wissenschaft", but I actually do not know, where it comes from. It does not seem to be a German state's one, but from any German instituion maybe?

The Insrcript has a mistake as it should read "F?r" instead of "V?r" in correct German, as I know.

I have no idea what it is, but seems to be quite old (about 100 years maybe) and is worn as genuine.

Does someone know it or has any idea on it?

Edited August 23, 2006 by saschaw

[Solomon]

Ah...my favorite theme

I showed my highlights some time ago...but here they are again:

1. Order:

Order for Art and Science 2nd class with oakleaves Lippe-Detmold (especially nice medal for the gentlemen )

(43 awards - 4 awarded by women)

This one was awarded by Sanna Klara Valentin-Strandberg ("Lilly Walleni") on 19. February 1914

[Solomon]

2.order

Order for Art and Science 2nd class Schaumburg-Lippe (new style after 1901)

(119 awards at all - 30 awards for women)

This one belongs to the order of A & S Lippe-Detmold and was also awarded by Sanna Klara Valentin-Strandberg ("Lilly Walleni") on 12. December 1913.

She awarded also the title "F?rstlich Lippische Kammers?ngerin"

Greetings

Solomon

Edited August 24, 2006 by Solomon

[Wild Card]

Gentlemen,

Thank you all for your additional contributions. Saschaw, your example shows the unique visual characteristics that often set these medals apart. Solomon, you have two of the prime examples of unique departure. Incidentally, did you ever notice the similarity between your 1st style badge and those of the British Order of the Indian Empire?

Seeheld, yours takes the opposite approach with the same obverse as the Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1815 - 1872 silver merit medal; but turn it over and you have a medal that has to be exceedingly rare. Do you have any idea as to how many of these were awarded?

Incidentally Medalnet, of course you?ve done it again, a real show stopper. His little brother stopped by the other day (see below).

Thank you all again,

Wild Card

[Wild Card]

Little brother.