Commemorative medals, often issued by a host federation, were commonly presented to medal winners and others at early World Figure Skating Championships and European Figure Skating Championships. Such is the case with the provenance-laden medal featured in this gallery, given for second place in pairs skating at the 1937 World Figure Skating Championships, held in London, England.
The Austrian brother and sister team of Ilse Pausin and Erik Pausin, silver medal winners at the 1936 Olympic Winter Games, were also the silver medal winners at the 1937 World Championships, where the commemorative medal shown would have been awarded. The Netropolitan Museum of Figure Skating Pins added the medal to its collection in 2003 through an auction house sale.
The silver-colored medal has developed a cool patina over its 80+ years, with light tarnishing that highlights the details in the tree branches and creates a subtle glow around the skater.
A detailed outdoor skating scene covers the face of the medal and features a male figure skater, sporting strap-on skates and in dressed in old-fashioned attire, about to execute a series of “fancy skating” moves. A curled, twisted tree and adjacent field with brushy growth create a textural landscape behind the skater. The silver-colored medal has developed a cool patina over its 80+ years, with light tarnishing that highlights the details in the tree branches and creates a subtle glow around the skater.
The reverse of the medal is marked “National Skating Association” along the top circumference and along the bottom is decorative foliage with a flowing band that contains “of Great Britain.” Curiously, “N.S.A of G.B”—the abbreviation for National Skating Association of Great Britain—is repeated at the top of the medal. Perhaps more curiously, the periods have been omitted after the “A” and “B” in the abbreviated version. Engraved in the center is the Pausins’ achievement at the event: “Second in the Championship of the World in Pair Skating 1937.” A series of hallmarks is seen above the decorative foliage. Consistent with the era, the medal likely was given compliments of the host federation and therefore bears name; in this case, twice.
Enjoy For Achievement in Pair Skating. 1937.
1937 World Championships Gallery
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