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JohnRich

Help with Swedish Language

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I own an item of personal property which contains an oval metal plate inlaid into the wood. The plate seems to be silver or stainless steel, and is engraved. I'd like help understanding the engraving in this plate, that seems to indicate prior ownership of the item, which was made in Sweden in 1905.

It says "Hj. Jansson" and "Bred".

Would it be correct to assume that Jansson is probably a last name?
And that "Bred" is the town in Sweden?
So what does "Hj." mean? Is that like "Mr." or "Sir"? Or an abbreviation for something else, perhaps a military rank?

I think this would mean something like "Sir Jansson, of Bred".

I know that for the sake of context it might be helpful to know what this item is, but I'm not allowed to say that in this forum.

I would appreciate any details you can give me on this Swedish translation.

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Not just the names, but those proof marks on the bottom of the plate are easily traceable. With my limited knowledge of them, looking at them you should get the manufacture, composition of the metal and the year of manufacture at the least.
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

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The silver plate is from "MARKSTRÖMS GULDSMEDS AB K G" silversmiths (KGMGA/B) in Sweden (1913-1992). It was made in 1927 (A7) in Upsalla, Sweden. Hj is a Swedish Abbreviation for the first name 'Hjalamar'. I have no information of a town of Bred in Sweden, but it translates to wide-ranging (babylfish). Discrepancy in the dates may be due to teh plate being made later and added to the item, with the silversmith merely dating his piece of work.

Just my .02;)

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The silver plate is from "MARKSTRÖMS GULDSMEDS AB K G" silversmiths (KGMGA/B) in Sweden (1913-1992). It was made in 1927 (A7) in Upsalla, Sweden. Hj is a Swedish Abbreviation for the first name 'Hjalamar'. I have no information of a town of Bred in Sweden, but it translates to wide-ranging (babylfish). Discrepancy in the dates may be due to teh plate being made later and added to the item, with the silversmith merely dating his piece of work.

Just my .02;)



Outstanding! Thank you Coconut!

You can google "Bred, Uppsala Län, Sweden" and it seems to be a small town, from where Hjalamar Jannson must have called home. And it's in the same "province" (or whatever they call it) of Upsalla, where you say the silversmith was located.

Thanks for that explanation of the first name abbreviation, and also for the identification of the silversmith. Fantastic stuff.

And it all makes sense too, as the silver ownership plate would have been added sometime after the item left the factory in 1905, to personalize it for himself. So Hjalamar must have custom ordered the engraving from Markstroms Guldsmeds, and installed it on the item.

This is great. It's really neat to be able to trace an antique back to a former owner from a long time ago, and a place far away.

I appreciate your help! :)

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