Posted 8 years ago
billretire…
(593 items)
I bought this at the Concord, Calif. Antiques Fair 3 months ago. I liked it because it had Viking skiers on it, and noticed on the back it said Trondheim, which is the part of Norway that my Norwegian heritage came from. After searching it I found out what the words in Norwegian on the back, "birkebeinerne forer Haakon Haakonsson til Trondheim", tell the story of the 1205 Norwegian civil war, that after King Haakon had died they got the two best Viking birch bark skiers to take the King's illegitimate son Haakon Haakonsson over the mountains to safety in Trondheim, which they were able to do. It also has a mark FRANK 925s, that dates it to after 1900 it would be 830s before that, I think it could have made to commemorate a yearly race that was started in the 1930s following the same route that the Birch Bark Vikings took, carrying a weight on their chest to simulate the Kings son. Also a new movie may be out in the US next year, about the story, which was released in Norway already.
This is super! I've never seen anything like it.
Thank you Efesgirl, I was so surprised to find it for only $12. and a new black leather belt with it! :^)
That was definitely a good buy.
Hey Thomas you snuck this love in on this! :^) Thanks much!
A new friend of mine from Replay Poker that was from Norway, wrote me this about this belt buckle and the history of the design:
Hi Bill,
It certainly is a nice belt and belt buckle. As you said from after the 1930's. They do not make them anymore as far as I know.
The Birkebeinerrennet is the most famous annual skiing long distance competition in Norway. And as you correctly have written it has an historic origin. Actually the same goes for the famous Vasa loppet in Sweden (also a Swedish king Vasa who had to run as well. Digression: Wasa knekkebrød which is some sort of cracker which you may have heard of has its origin from this Vasa kingdom rule period in Sweden.
If you want to read some more about the Birkebeinere and the history you can go to this page.
https://www.revolvy.com/topic/Birkebeiner&item_type=topic
It has some good and extensive stories. Down the page you also see a picture from the Brikebeiner rennet (the ski race). And from there on you can go to further links if you want.
Cheers,
Bernt
Hey Bonnie, good to have you back on CW! :^D Thanks for the love! :^)
That's a nice Bottle Opener keramikos, thanks for the link! :^D
Thank you for the love also keramikos! :^)
Here's the full "Birkebeinere" movie on vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/channels/819884/163446478
It has subtitles in English, and is a good movie about the 1205 Norwegian civil war, and the rescue of the "Boy King"! :^)