Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? It's a Spanish Riding School Medal, about 3" x 3" (7.62cm x 7.62cm). Maker mark "FK" in a circle, which I have seen before on other SRS items.
The seller told me that it came from an estate sale and that the previous owner claimed it was from the early 1900s.
Yes, I purchased it on eBay. I really, REALLY hope I wasn't bidding against any of you :)
Anyhow, if you have any information, please share.
Oh, but PLEASE do not post anything on Facebook about it. I bought it as a birthday present for my husband and he'll see. It's a surprise. He collects stuff like this.
Thanks
Eileen
ETA: added two more pictures.
I've never seen something like that before.
AntwortenLöschenDo you think it's authentic, Andreas? It does look pretty old. The back is smooth with no marks. I can post more pix if necessary.
AntwortenLöschenI wonder about its authenticity due to the length of the back legs and the type of spurs being worn by the rider. I don't have the medal in hand as yet, but in the photo they look more like conventional rowel spurs and not swan neck.
Added two more pictures.
AntwortenLöschenno, i haven't but i do have a solid gold coin, about 3/4" in diameter honoring Podhajski, not sure but probably from the 1970s or 1960s.
AntwortenLöschenI also have one, which I got years ago. There is a story behind it, but for the life of me, I can't remember it right now!
AntwortenLöschenI would LOVE to hear the story, if and when you remember it!
AntwortenLöschenIf possible, could someone ask the "older" members if they know anything about this medal?
Now, I had no idea that the SRS awarded medals at all and all the research I did gave me no leads. This made me wonder if this was really authentic and I almost didn't buy it! Now, Atjan posted that one was awarded to Mendoza in the Mendoza blog post and both of you say you have medals as well. WOW!
I would REALLY love to find out the history behind this medal. My husband *loves* historic items. Heck, so do I :D
Eileen
Hmmmm....
AntwortenLöschen.... good question :-|
Heh :)
AntwortenLöschenDo you know of anyone at the SRS that I could contact that would know about the medal, Andreas? I'm sure they must keep track of something like this. I don't really care who got the medal, just a confirmation that this *is* a real SRS medal and it was given to somebody around X year. Of course, a really neat story to go with it would be just awesome :)
I'm going to continue dredging Google to see what I can come up with. The problem that I have is that I can't read 90% of the pages that come up :(
What year did the SRS go back to "Spanische Hofreitschule" from "Spanische Reitschule"? That would give an idea of how old it is, as it says Reitschule on it.
AntwortenLöschenRomy
Try here for help.
AntwortenLöschenhttp://decorativearts.waddingtons.ca/table/10june2010a/catalogue/0/limit/80
Romy
I didn't even notice that, Romy. I didn't know they had changed, either. Checking.
AntwortenLöschenI don't see anything. Am I missing something?
AntwortenLöschenOMG! ROMY I FOUND SOMETHING!!!!!
AntwortenLöschenARGH! I cannot read this!!!! Someone please: http://www.muenzauktion.com/pkkmgbr/item.php5?id=5553
AntwortenLöschenThey don't have your medal (that I could see) but they may be able to help find it's history. This is what they say on their web site-
AntwortenLöschen"We can also provide free verbal appraisal estimates."
They seem to have a lot of commemorative medals and if they don't know, they may be able to point you in the right direction.
Hausi will know when the schule went back to Hofreitschule.
Reitschule is Riding School, Hofreitschule is Court Riding School.
Romy
No, no! The link I posted has the medal, Romy. And I was too excited to see the American flag to click on. It's the same medal. Go look.
AntwortenLöschenIt is! But not much info :-(
AntwortenLöschenMaybe they could at least tell you what it is.
Yes, not much info, and I will contact that other site you mentioned -- BUT at least I know there is more than one out there and that I didn't pay too much for this medal. Mine is in MUCH better condition and I paid about the same price USD.
AntwortenLöschenAll thanks to you for mentioning the name change! I searched on that name instead and BINGO!
Your hubby will love it !
AntwortenLöschenI hope so :D Going to keep looking and see if I can find more info under the new name. I'll post (without being so excited *blush*) if I find anything. Thanks for your help!
AntwortenLöschen"FK" may stand for Franz Kounitzky (1880- 1928), Austrian medallic artists who produced medals and plakettes
AntwortenLöschenHere are more:
AntwortenLöschenhttp://www.numismatikforum.de/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=32723
Nod, Andreas. Those coins came in gold and silver. I've come across two in gold and one in silver while researching this bronze one. Translated the page -- yes, s/he says it was produced in gold and silver. I kinda assumed you had seen them before, so I didn't post about them.
AntwortenLöschenThe gold set is AMAZING to look at. Of course, now I can't find one of the images. I'll post when it pops up.
Eileen
Ooo, thank you. Let me check on that!
AntwortenLöschenI think that might be a dead end. Everything I've found done by Franz Kounitzky has been portraiture and the makers mark isn't the same.Any other "FK" suggestions?
AntwortenLöschenAleksandra is right, the medal is from Franz Kounitzky. I googled him as well.
AntwortenLöschenHow do you know it's from him, Andreas? What did you find that I didn't?
AntwortenLöschenEileen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medallic_art#Austrian_medallic_artists
AntwortenLöschenhttp://www.numispedia.de/Liste_bekannter_Medailleure
AntwortenLöschenhttp://www.arcadja.com/auctions/en/kounitzky_franz/artist/307439/
AntwortenLöschenhttp://katalog.beethoven-haus-bonn.de/cgi-bin/biblio/bild_en.pl?x=u&t_show=x&wertreg=SSW&wert=beethoven%2C+ludwig+%2F+kounitzky%2C+franz+%2F+1900-1925&reccheck=3618
AntwortenLöschenhttp://www.ma-shops.com/hossfeld/item.php5?id=40316056&lang=en&curr=USDEUR&ref=froogcom
AntwortenLöschenKounitzky was the first shot, just a hunch without any confirmation. Eileen is right, the maker's mark is not the same.
AntwortenLöschenEileen, did you ask the sellers about the medal? They categorized it as "Spain", despite the obvious marking "in Wien", why would they do that?
On one of their previous sales, http://www.muenzen-strothotte.de sold "Spanische Reitschule in Wien, Reiter im Kreis von 8 Figuren-Darstellungen (von F.Kounitzky) 75 mm", this sounds like description of your medal. Unfortunately there are no photos. Maybe they would know something more
Nod, I must have looked at dozens and dozens of his medals and the makers marks don't match.
AntwortenLöschen"Eileen, did you ask the sellers about the medal?"
I bought the medal from a gentleman on eBay, not from a medal shop on line. This is what he said, "The Riding Medal came from an Estate Sale that housed an abundance of
antiques from the early 1900's. She was an advent collector and owned horses throughout her life."
"They categorized it as "Spain", despite the obvious marking "in Wien", why would they do that?"
That was one of the two shops I found that had one of the medals. I guess they saw "Spanish" at the front and didn't really read it, or even care, or have a clue as to what it was. No idea :D
"On one of their previous sales, http://www.muenzen-strothotte.de sold "Spanische Reitschule in Wien, Reiter im Kreis von 8 Figuren-Darstellungen (von F.Kounitzky) 75 mm", this sounds like description of your medal. Unfortunately there are no photos. Maybe they would know something more."
I'm rather hesitant to contact them due to their obvious mistake with the medal they already have listed. I mean, as you said, Spain? C'mon :) I never saw the listing you are referring to, however. Let me take a look and then maybe I will contact them after all.
Eileen
I don't think that's the same site -- is it? Anyhow, yah, I'm going to contact THAT site. Checking the Google translation . . . it says, "Spanish Riding School in Vienna, riders in a circle of 8 characters representations (by F. Kounitzky)" is that close enough?
AntwortenLöschenEileen
Here is a Google translate from a PDF file that had the medal listed as F. Kounitzky:
AntwortenLöschen"Was published by the Austrian Mint Vienna.
All coins are bronze patina in BU-preservation. A leading * indicates that the front and back of the medal are marked. By letter dated 9.12.1985 us the management of the Austrian. Mint stated that the "Medals do not Restrikes are. The medals were so-called Publisher medals, while the marked or could be sold to the medal would be taken out of the publishing offer. There were no restrike in accordance with the Kunsthistorisches Museum held historical Stamps.Obviously, by most Medals no more stocks available, because our re-orders were the Vienna Mint no longer running. Offered by the following Medals are mostly in our stock only Individual pieces available. We therefore recommend possibly out of print for spare parts orders give up. The medals were offered in the Period of about 1900 - 1960 marked."
In 1919, with the start of the 1st republic of Austria, the official title of the institution became "Spanische Reitschule" ("Hof-" = Court disappeared, because the Habsburg empire came to an end then)
AntwortenLöschenIn 1938, after the "Anschluss" of Austria into Nazi-Germany, the SRS became "Spanische Hofreitschule" again.
In 1945, "Spanische Reitschule returned.
In 2001, with the transformation into a (still state owned) "company", the old name "Spanische Hofreitschule" returned.
I did not see this coin before. So I can not confirm if this an official medal of the SRS, or not.
AntwortenLöschenBut I do know that the SRS (in imperial times, and later) did honor people with medals. (Recently, in 2007, Don Alvaro Domecq received one). I have never seen an "official" SRS-medal though.
Atjan, thank-you so much for posting the name change dates! That really helps.
AntwortenLöschenIf it was made by Kounitzky, those dates fit as he was born in 1880 and died in 1928. If it wasn't, then it's possible it was made between 1945 and 2001.
I have contacted the site that had the listing I posted a translation for earlier. I'll keep bugging them until I get a response :)
I think I will send a query to the Austrian Mint in Vienna as well. Can't hurt.
Eileen
Received the medal today and it is absolutely stunning. I am well pleased :) Soon as I get a chance (which might be a while), I'll take some scans and upload them. I don't want my husband to see it :)
AntwortenLöschen