King’s Medal of Merit

(Full Size, With Case), Gold,

Olav V

Item number: M164

Year: AD 1966

Material: Gold

Size: 28.5 x 45.9 x 1.5 mm

Weight: 24.05 g

Provenance: Spink 2024

This is a gold King’s Medal of Merit awarded in AD 1966 to a Norwegian citizen, Edgar W. Stene. Established in AD 1908 by King Haakon VII of Norway, the medal aims to honour citizens who have made outstanding contributions in the fields of art, science, and industry. Most recipients receive a silver medal, with only a few individuals of exceptional contribution being awarded the gold medal.

The obverse features a left-profile portrait of King Olav V of Norway, who reigned in AD 1966. Surrounding the portrait are the king’s title and motto “All for Norway.” On the reverse side, there is a wreath surrounding the inscription “Edgar W. Stene 1966,” which includes the recipient’s name and the year of the award. The outer part of the wreath is inscribed with the name of the medal in Norwegian, “King’s Medal of Merit.” Above the medal, there is a crown decoration, and the crown is connected to the ribbon with a fixed ring suspension. The ribbon, symbolising the royal family, is worn on the left chest and features alternating red and yellow colours.

The medal is housed in its original red leather case lined with red velvet. The case lid features a gold-stamped crown symbol. Inside the lid, there is a white lining with the inscription “Norwegian Royal Mint Kongsberg,” which is the address of the mint that minted the medal.

According to the information from the auction house, Edgar Stene was born in Sarpsborg, Norway, in AD 1919. After graduating from high school, he worked as a seaman and settled in Shanghai, China. Between AD 1940 and AD 1941, he worked as a police officer in the International Settlement of Shanghai. Edgar later re-entered the maritime profession and served as a sailor during World War II, assisting the Allied forces in landing operations in Italy and Burma. He continued in this role until he was forced to retire due to Bechterew’s disease.

After the war, Edgar became a founding member of the Norwegian Rheumatism Association and served as the association’s secretary-general, helping numerous patients. He organised co-operation between the Scandinavian region and internationally on rheumatism-related matters until his death in AD 1969. The European League Against Rheumatism also established the “Edgar Stene Award” in his honour, to encourage scholars conducting research on rheumatism.

奧拉夫五世時期

金質

國王功績獎章

(官方版，含盒)

物件編號: M164

年代: 公元 1966 年

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 28.5 x 45.9 x 1.5 mm

重量: 24.05 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2024

這是一枚公元1966年頒予挪威公民：愛德加·史坦尼的金質「國王功績獎章」。公元1908年，時任挪威國王的哈康七世創立該獎章，旨在獎勵在藝術、科學和工業等領域有傑出貢獻的公民。多數受獎者僅獲得銀質獎章，僅少數具備非凡貢獻的人士方能得到金質獎章。

獎章正面，刻有公元1966年之際擔任挪威國王的奧拉夫五世左側肖像，周圍的銘文是國王頭銜和座右銘「一切都是為了挪威」。獎章背面有一個花環，花環內部的「愛德加·史坦尼 1966」字樣，是得獎者姓名和獲獎年份。花環外部則以挪威文刻上獎章的名稱「國王功績獎章」。獎章上方有一頂皇冠裝飾，皇冠裝飾以固定環形懸掛銜接綬帶。獎章以象徵王室的紅黃相間綬帶別在左胸。

獎章放置於原版的紅色皮質收納盒，以紅絲絨作為內襯。盒蓋有一個燙金的皇冠符號。盒蓋的白色內襯織有「挪威皇家鑄幣廠孔斯貝格」字樣，孔斯貝格即是鑄造該獎章的鑄幣廠地址。

根據拍賣行的訊息，公元1919年，愛德加·史坦尼出生於挪威薩爾普斯堡。高中畢業以後，他做為一名海員落腳於中國上海，公元1940至1941年間，在上海的國際公共租界擔任警察一職。愛德加後續重新加入船隊，在第二次世界大戰期間以船員身分協助盟軍在義大利和緬甸的登陸行動，直到因僵直性脊椎炎被迫卸任為止。

戰爭結束後，愛德加成為「挪威風濕病協會」創始會員，並且做為協會秘書長幫助眾多的病患，組織斯堪地那維亞地區和國際間針對風濕病的合作，直到他於公元1969年逝世為止。「歐洲抗風濕聯盟」還以其名義創立「愛德加·史坦尼獎」，以資勵針對風濕病進行研究的學者。

類似/相同物件請看:

挪威婦女博物館 The Women’s Museum Norway

https://digitaltmuseum.no/0210213319479/medalje

挪威哈德蘭民俗博物館 Hadeland Folk Museum

https://digitaltmuseum.no/011024067175/diplom

更多相關訊息請參考:

Borna Barac, Reference Catalogue Orders Medals and Decorations of the World : instituted until 1945 : Part III Bronze Book G-P (Craotia:OBOL d.o.o. Zagreb, 2013)

King’s Medal of Merit (wawards.org)

https://www.royalcourt.no/artikkel.html?tid=28665&sek=28562

https://www.eular.org/pare-stene-prize