Old Swedish Rowing Medal on eBay

The other day HTBS-colleague Greg Denieffe pointed me in the direction of an old Swedish rowing medal on eBay. It was handed out as a winning medal (‘1 Pris’) for coxed fours on 19 July, 1908, at a regatta held in Vaxholm, a small town in the outer parts of the Stockholm archipelago. The organiser was the local rowing club, Vaxholms Roddförening, and on the medal you can see an out-rigged coxed four and the town’s coat of arms (as it looked then) with the Vaxholm fortress, which was first built in 1510. It was some time after the 1650s that the fortification got its round stone tower which is still in the town's coat of arms today. The fortress was not only kept as a military protection (against the Russians), as the sea entrance to Stockholm, it was also a customs-house where duties were paid by outside merchants going in to the Swedish capital.

Rowing had been practiced for centuries in the archipelago – it is also known that there were rowing races in the 1860s and 1870s – before the first organised rowing club saw the light of day in Vaxholm in 1883. Soon, other rowing clubs were founded in the area, but they all only lasted for a couple of years. However, in 1889, Vaxholms Roddförening was founded and rapidly grew to be one of Sweden’s most successful rowing clubs before the Second World War. It was the first Swedish rowing club to compete in Finland, where in 1902, the club raced and won against the local rowing club in Helsinki and some Russian clubs. Its members became Swedish champions, Nordic champions and represented Sweden in the Olympic Games in 1912, 1920 and 1936.

I am sorry to say that I have not been able to locate any information about this 1908 regatta. The most famous regatta organised by Vaxholms Roddförening is Distanskapprodden (‘The Distance Race’) which is a 14,500-metre (9-mile) long race between Stockholm and Vaxholm in inrigger coxed fours. This race was first organised in 1894, but then by another rowing club, Hammarby IF. Between 1905 and 1907, and then from 1919, it has been organized by Vaxholms Roddförening. Take a look at some of the more recent racing photographs here.

There was already a famous rowing race in 1844 between the Vaxholm fortress and the centre of Stockholm. That year, a Russian expedition, which was doing scientific measuring of the Baltic Sea, had received the permission by the Swedish king Karl XIV Johan to visit Stockholm. When the vessel, a paddle steamer, approached Vaxholm fortress it did not only neglect to stop to be inspected, it broke the code of honor by not saluting the Swedish flag which was raised on the fortress. This annoyed Colonel Anders Israel Panchen, the old commander of the fortress, who ordered a canon-shot to be fired in front of the Russian vessel. The Russians still ignored the order to stop whereupon Colonel Panchen ordered a second and then a third salvo towards the paddle steamer. The third shot hit the wheel and made the vessel unmanageable.

A Russian Navy officer and his crew rowed over to the fortress to ask what was the matter? Colonel Panchen informed him that they had insulted the Swedish flag by not saluting it. The Russians rowed back to the paddle wheeler, but suddenly their boat changed its course to row into Stockholm to complain to the king. Panchen ordered a boat of his best oarsmen to make haste and row into the castle to be the first ones to inform the king about the incident. Despite the Russians’ long lead, the Swedish gig managed to catch up and pass the Russians and was first in to the castle to inform the king, who was said to be very pleased with his sailors’ rowing…. well, so the legend goes….

Probably not a Paris Crew Medal after all...

Yesterday’s entry about John Elton’s medal created a little stir. Rowing historians Bill Miller and Tom Weil both contacted me and wanted to ‘down grade’ Elton’s medal. Bill writes that, ‘It’s my belief that this is not a Paris Crew medal.’ As the medal has no inscription it’s probably ‘a participants’ medal which were dozens and possibly it was given to one of the English crews (Oxford/London RC) [at the regatta]’, Bill writes. And Tom agrees: ‘I concur completely with Bill’s comments’, Tom writes. He continues to give descriptions of two medals in his collection at the River and Rowing Museum in Henley, one of which John mentioned yesterday. Tom writes:

1867 Gold colored circular medal with Guivre stamped on edge. [obv] crown with four towers above elaborate shield with fleur de lis in upper panel and five-oared galley with sail on lower panel, with "FLVCTVAT NEC MERGITVR" on ribbon below [rev] cattails and anchor over crossed oars device "Societe des Regates Parisiennes" and marked "Hamel a Rouen."  Inscribed "Bois de Boulogne/ 1er Prix 1867" Diam 2.25" 10/02.

1867 Bronze circular medal [obv] "Napoleon III Empereur" [showing bust] [rev] outer band "Exposition Universelle"; interior field "Concurrent des Regates Internationales de 1867"  Diam  1+7/16" 10/02.

Tom then writes, ‘The former is the medal described and shown in the HTBS entry, except that, as best I can tell, the HTBS one has a blank field on the reverse where mine is inscribed "Bois de Boulogne/ 1er Prix 1867". So the HTBS medal may be a stock strike that was never awarded to anyone for anything.

Tom continues, ‘Were one of the two to be a "Paris crew" race medal, it seems to me that it is more likely the second one listed, which is inscribed "Concurrent des Regates Internationales de 1867", but the word "Concurrent" is a bit ambiguous, and the medal itself does not confirm that it is a prize, much less that it was won in a particular event or by a particular crew.’

HTBS's Greg Denieffe has this to add:

Here are links to the two medals that Tom Weil has lent to the RRM - 1867 Napoleon III Empereur medal (reverse) & 1867 Gold colour circular medal (obverse).

And here is a Bronze medal commemorating the Paris Exhibition 1867: Emperor Napoleon III, Emperor of France (1808-1873) in the National Trust collection. This may have the same obverse as the RRM medal but the reverse is completely different. And another.

There are plenty more examples of the Napoleon III medal on the web, so it looks like it was the medal (with different reverses) awarded throughout the exhibition as prizes and awards

HTBS’s Hélène Rémond writes, 'the medal featured on HTBS was not a prize. The word “concurrent” means the rower has taken part in the race, that he was one of the competitors. Thus, I agree with Bill and Tom, it must be a participants’ medal.

'By the way, there is a Napoléon III medal available for sale (Exposition universelle Paris 1867 Concurrent des régates internationales de 1867, bronze, engraver: Hamel diametre : 31mm, very good condition) at € 40 on this website.

1867 Paris Exhibition Regatta Medal for Sale!

HTBS received the news that John Elton in England has a rowing medal for sale. It is not just any ‘old’ medal, it is an 1867 medal won by one of the members of the distinguished and famous ‘Paris Crew’. This is the Canadian team who beat the London Rowing Club crew in the race at the Paris Exhibition Regatta in 1867. John writes, ‘It is the 1867 Paris Exhibition Regatta Medal. Gold color, French, hallmarked silver, 88 grams.’ The medal had once belonged to John’s grandfather, but he does not know how it ever came into the hands of his grandfather. The only other medal that exists from that race, that John is aware of, is in the Thomas E. Weil Collection at the River and Rowing Museum in Henley. The Paris Crew was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1956.

Anyone who has a serious interest in this item is welcome to contact John at:

+44 (0)1189731827
+44 (0)7941063010
john(at-sign)johnelton.com

You will find more information about the Paris Crew, the 1867 race and their races against James Renforth crews, here. 

PS. I have unfortunately promised my wife not to buy it!

See also: "Probably not a Paris Crew Medal after all...", 15 March, 2013.

For 'Bravery'

Talking about rowing medals, to be really honest, during my active time as a competitive oarsman in Sweden, I did not win any grand pots or medals. I did, however, on a few occasions, receive marks of honour for valuable work in the service of the sport on club, regional, and national levels.

Above are two of the medals I was given. The one on the left is my club’s highest honour, Malmö Roddklubb’s gold medal, showing the seal of the city of Malmö, and the band in the colours of the club, blue and white. One of the regulations for this medal is that it can only be given to someone who has received the bronze and the silver medals, but in my case, it seemed, the club committee made an exception.

Earlier the same year, 1993, I received the medal on the right, För Tapperhet i Rodd anno 1993 for my work with the Boat Race between the Universities of Lund and Uppsala. This race is equivalent - well sort of - to the races between Oxford and Cambridge, or Yale and Harvard, as it is between the two oldest universities in Sweden. Before this year, the medal (‘For Bravery in Rowing in [the year] 1993’) had never been handed out, nor has it been offered to anyone thereafter. Of course, this piece of tin is an academically feigned curiosity that different intellectual, literary, sport, etc. groups at the University of Lund furnish among the students and researchers.

The medal was handed out to three of us chaps who had coached the crews, organized the race, supplied the boats and the manpower to see that the race was accomplished without any obstruction, and to raise awareness on a high university level which allowed us to end the race day with an ostentatious tail-coat banquet at the Academic Society’s ‘castle’ in the middle of the medieval small town of Lund. After dinner, and rather tipsy, I have to admit, I received the medal in the men’s loo, together with my two accomplices.

Doggett's And Rowing Medals

In my previous entry, on 13 January, I asked the question where the Doggett’s winner W.H. Campbell got all those nice medals that he so proudly displays on his chest. Chris Partridge (of Rowing for Pleasure) suggested in a comment that they might have been from the Crimean War. Tim Koch of Auriol Kensington RC in London, who sent the photograph to me, is of another opinion. In a message, Tim writes:

“Chris Partridge thought that Mr. Campbell’s medals may be military ones. It is more likely that they were prizes from Watermen’s Regattas. The ’Portcities’ website shows some nice examples www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConW... Another reason that they are unlikely to be military is that Campbell has too many of them. Her Majesties armed forces hand out medals very reluctantly. Most American enlisted (wo)men have more decorations than a British Field Marshall!”

Tim continues, "a photograph [on the left] of Frederick Dawson of Mellish Street, Isle of Dogs, waterman and lighterman, is showing him in his rowing vest, standing beside a prize cup and wearing the prize medals won in rowing competitions. He was bound apprentice as a waterman at Wapping from 1877 to 1884 and later won many rowing prizes, including the Veterans Cup in 1904. - Date: c. 1895."

Tim, who is not only a rowing historian, but also a collector of rowing artefacts, writes, "in my collection of rowing memorabilia I have an example of the only Waterman’s medal still issued. Until 2000, the winner of the Doggett’s got the Coat and Badge and the rest of the competitors got nothing. To celebrate the Millennium, the Fishmongers’ Company decided to give miniature Doggett’s medals to all participants, silver for the winner and bronze for the rest. This was so successful that the practice continues."

"As an aside," Tim continues, "we must remember that, until the 1939-1945 War, there were many other Coat and Badge races, often run as an event within an otherwise amateur regatta. London RC warded (I think) a blue coat. A Richmond Regatta Coat and Badge from 1921 is in the possession of Auriol Kensington RC (on the left). The 1920s cutting from The Times newspaper shows that even the fairly lowly Hammersmith Regatta had one of the splendid items as a prize."

The National Maritime Museum in London has some beautiful rowing stuff. "At the Eastern Thames Regatta of 1902, M.J. Mears won this gold medal [below; photo credit NMM] together with a waterman’s coat and a silver arm badge," Tim also mentions.

Many thanks to Tim and Chris for your thoughts and input.