Commemorative Medal of the Partisans of 1941

[BalkanCollector]

My latest catch including a document and a transportation ticket.

[paja]

Now that's a nice catch! You don't see many of them with booklets on the market, congrats 

[BalkanCollector]

Thank you Paja!  I've been patiently waiting for 2 years and I've finally found a nice set for a reasonable price.

[BalkanCollector]

My newest addition! Spomenica (number 16,2##) which belonged to a Colonel of a technical branch of service. He was a commander of company (četa) in the 1st Lika Proletarian Brigade "Marko Orešković" and was one of the people who helped with the creation of a book about this brigade. He was born in 1925 so he was around 15-16 when he joined the partisans. I'm very pleased that I've acquired this gem.

[Paul R]

Supre rare!  Great find.

[Daffy Duck]

congratulations   

[BalkanCollector]

Thanks guys!

[Eric Gaumann]

Wow...Nice!  Despite the 16k number that screwpost has got to be very early, no?

Congrats on a great find.  That's on my 'bucket list' as well.

[BalkanCollector]

Thanks Eric!

Actually I don't know if the screwpost is very early. I've mostly seen this type of screwpost on pieces with numbers ranging from 15k to 20k. However I've seen a few very similar screwposts on the earlier pieces without hallmarks. There are also other few types of narrower screwplates.

I've been collecting the photos of this award and I've accumulated over 50 different "spomenicas". This is my primary classification (note that this maybe isn't complete list and that some may devide this in even more types):

1. Soviet type made by Monetniy Dvor

2. Yugoslav made types:

2.1. Without hallmarks; screw (1-~5,000) - the lowest number I've seen was 12

2.2. With hallmark BK; screw (~5,000-~8,000 and from ~9,000-~12,000)

2.3. With hallmark GK; screw (~8,000-~9,000)

2.4. With silver and IKOM hallmarks; screw (~12,000-~22,000)

2.5. With silver and IKOM hallmarks; horizontal pin (sort of a tubular end) (~22,000-~25,500)

2.6. With silver and IKOM hallmarks; horizontal pin (regular) (~25,500-~28,500+) - the highest number I've seen was 28,550

Edited November 22, 2018 by BalkanCollector

[Eric Gaumann]

Awesome list!  Thanks for doing this.

I've noticed the majority have three rivets securing the upper part while a few use the screwpost to secure it.  How does that fit in?

I also notice the "GK" maker's mark is for "Griesbach & Knaus" . Any idea who that maker is, and who is "BK"?

 

PS.  Any reason to doubt this well-worn award?

[Alpha Draconis]

Hello!!

BK should be Braca Knaus, the same company as GK only later...

Best regards

[BalkanCollector]

8 hours ago, Eric Gaumann said:

Awesome list!  Thanks for doing this.

I've noticed the majority have three rivets securing the upper part while a few use the screwpost to secure it.  How does that fit in?

I also notice the "GK" maker's mark is for "Griesbach & Knaus" . Any idea who that maker is, and who is "BK"?

No problem! 

There are two types of connecting. The first one is with three rivets as you can see on my piece numbered 27,232 and the second one is with three sort of a gutters around the stick where the screwpost goes (example on my other piece). I don't know how the upper part is fixed that way to be honest.

You're correct. GK stands for "Griesbach & Knaus" and BK is for "Braća Knaus" (Brothers Knaus). Both were if I'm not mistaken the names of the same institution before it was finally renamed to IKOM (Industrija komunalne opreme i mjerila/Industry of utility equipment and measures).

9 hours ago, Eric Gaumann said:

PS.  Any reason to doubt this well-worn award?

I see nothing wrong with it. It is a bit rough and worn but it's an original piece in my opinion. 

[Drugo]

Nice specimens, BalkanCollector. 50 spomenice in the collection is quite something.

I have some of these booklets, but unfortunately not the matching awards. We come back to the old story of our sellers eager to split papers and awards all the time...

Eric G,

the spomenica you showed is 100% original. I believe the screw was welded at a certain stage for some reason, and those incisions on the left side are the result of a tight bench vise grip.

[BalkanCollector]

29 minutes ago, Drugo said:

Nice specimens, BalkanCollector. 50 spomenice in the collection is quite something.

I have some of these booklets, but unfortunately not the matching awards. We come back to the old story of our sellers eager to split papers and awards all the time...

Thank you Drugo! I actually have only 2 spomenice in my collection and both with booklets. I have photos of over 50 spomenice as my archive. 

Yes, it's a real shame that sellers often break documents and groups to sell them easier.

[Eric Gaumann]

3 hours ago, Alpha Draconis said:

BK should be Braca Knaus, the same company as GK only later...

Thanks!

 

2 hours ago, BalkanCollector said:

GK stands for "Griesbach & Knaus" and BK is for "Braća Knaus" (Brothers Knaus). Both were if I'm not mistaken the names of the same institution before it was finally renamed to IKOM (Industrija komunalne opreme i mjerila/Industry of utility equipment and measures).

Thanks!  Did not know GK and BK predated IKOM.  TIL (Today I Learned)

 

2 hours ago, BalkanCollector said:

the second one is with three sort of a gutters around the stick where the screwpost goes (example on my other piece). I don't know how the upper part is fixed that way to be honest.

Just like some of the People's Merit Orders.  I assume the upper part on each is soldered to the screwpost which is then passed through the base?  At least that's my guess.

[BalkanCollector]

On 23/11/2018 at 13:17, Eric Gaumann said:

Just like some of the People's Merit Orders.  I assume the upper part on each is soldered to the screwpost which is then passed through the base?  At least that's my guess.

Could be, I really don't know.

[Eric Gaumann]

Here is my recently received T2.3 award.  Very heavily used, abused and repaired; "salty" is the way I like them.

[BalkanCollector]

Great addition Eric! I'm glad it arrived safely.  

[Eric Gaumann]

Before and after a scrubbing in warm, soapy water with a used (soft) toothbrush.

[BalkanCollector]

I'm really getting addicted to Spomenice with booklets. My latest example belonged to an officer and political commissar in the 1st Dalmatian Proletarian Shock Brigade. He carved his initials (V.K.) on Spomenica's reverse. I've marked the initials with red circles. Judging by the photo in the booklet he was also an Infantry officer of the Yugoslav People's Army with most likely the rank of a Major.

Edited August 19, 2019 by BalkanCollector

[Eric Gaumann]

Is this an award document for a Partisan Spomenica or is it something else?

[Drugo]

Hello Eric,

This is a spomenica in itself! It was awarded to living relatives of fallen partisans. So it's the spomenica to the dead. It entitled the family to some social benefits as those of the living holders, but there was no award beside this paper. I was discussing precisely this with BalkanCollector just a few days ago, he even showed me one like this with several names on the same document, an entire fallen family!

Edited September 14, 2019 by Drugo

[Eric Gaumann]

Thanks!  I am trying to find digital images of partisan related documentation to use as a background for an awards display.  Thanks for your help, comrade.

[Drugo]

You're welcome!

[Kallarati Heroik]

On 12/12/2018 at 19:26, Eric Gaumann said:

Before and after a scrubbing in warm, soapy water with a used (soft) toothbrush.

Do not clean your orders and medals.

More patina means more value.

And if you want to clean them, use only your fingers with Colgate.

Toothbrush leaves scratches on the piece.

Salut.