Bonjour a tous,

As there has been a lot of discussion about French stampings (poincons) in other parts of the FIM, I would like to help you in identifying Finnish silver items.
Enclosed a linc to a page where those who have (or will have in the future) any Finnish awards or insignias made from silver.
Before and during the II World War some awards and unit insignias were manufactured from silver and so they carry the silver content marking (usually 813 before 1972), but also a code of a letter and a number, telling the year of manufacture. From the link you can see the codes.

http://www.kultanuoli.fi/tuotetietoa.html

Cordialement, Harri.

Harri !


Very useful information indeed but I prefer the English language version of it : http://www.kultanuoli.fi/productinformation.html .


Hendrik

Hi Harri,
Many thanks for this interesting link
Regards
sto

Hello Harri

Thanks a lot, I just found the halmarks on a Thilander breast star of the Order of the White Rose. In fact, a series of 4 hallmarks, one of them with the initial AT probably Thilander's mark.

Best regards
Vétéran

Hello again,

Thanks Hendrik for a better link. I just didin't notice it was in English also in these pages as I was searching for another link in English, but couln't find it anymore.

For Veteran: I will try to find out what those letters AT mean in near future, propably tonight as I will be in night shift again.

I am quite sure AT means A.Tillander, who was a manufacturer. I'll check this.

Cordialement, Harri.

Bonjour again,

Message mainly for Veteran as these two symbols are stampings of manufacturer Tillander.



Cordialement, Harri.

Thanks Harri

The breast star is in a Thilander presentation case. There are two other hallmarks : one is rectangular with X7 and the other is heart-shaped with what could be a cock (?). Could they help establishe the period when the star was made ?
The Thilander hallmark is the diamond-shaped one you showed.

Best regards
Vétéran

Bonjour Vétéran,
X7 means that it has been manufactured in 1975 and this symbol means that it has been manufactured in Finland. The symbol is supposed to be a crown although looks a bit like a cock. Here it is called "cat's paw" (pied ou patte du chat) as a joke. If you use your imagination, you might see it as a track of a cat's single foot in snow or in soft ground.

AT was a stamping for the company A.Tillander Oy Ab between 193-1980, location in Helsinki.

Cordialement, Harri.

Hello Harri

Thank you. The dating of this star is extremely precise and quite new to me. I am very grateful.

Are there reliable statistics relating to the number of yearly awards of Finnish Orders ?

Can badges and stars be bought directly from the manufacturer (as it is the case in France for instance) or are they solely given by the Finnish State to those who receive them ?

Best regards
Veteran

Hello Vétéran and all others intereted about this subject,

I do not know about the amounts awarded each year but I will check if I found something. Some of my mates in here collect only Finnish militaria and they might have some statistics, or they might know where to get some.

Finnish decorations can not be bought from the manufacturer, they are only sold against the official documents of the State showing that one has the right to carry the award.

Cordialement, Harri.

Thanks Harri,

I sure appreciate the information you give. A rough idea of the average annual awardings of the 0rder of the White Rose would be nice to have. They may not be very frequent at that level.
I had hoped to show you pictures of this breast star, but for some reason the usual way seems to fail. Some other time, hopefully !

Very best regards
Vétéran

Bonjour a tous,

some pieces of information for Vétéran and others who may concern:



In 1975 only 7 Finnish citizens ware awarded the rank of Commander of the 1^st Class (=grand officier). I couldn’t find out the number of foreign recipients, but his information came from the official recource.



The official manufacturers for Finnish Orders has been A.Tillander up to 1982, since that Suomen Merkkikeskus, which was sold to Rahapaja in 2002.



Current manufacturers are Sporrong http://www.sporrong.fi/Homepage/Template5.aspx?menuid=1163&id=1180



and Rahapaja http://www.rahapajainsignia.fi/index.php?id=167.



Enclosed the links although there is nothing to see in these pages. What I mean is that there's no charts or pictures of official awards as these companies are contracted by the State and cannot sell these items to anybody else, but those who have the righ to carry these items.



Cordialement, Harri

Hello Harri

Thanks a lot for this further information. I had a hunch that these highter ranks were rather scarcely awarded. Naturally further awards to foreigners are given which generate most of the badges found over here.

Best regards
Veteran

Hello Vétéran,

It's been plesure helping you. Nice to know that some members have also Finnish decorations.

Cordialement, Harri