Bronze medal from the 1936 Second Winter Jewish Maccabiah Games at Banska, Bystrica, 18th- 22nd February, awarded to an unnamed participant, circular form, obverse inscribed IL SVETOVE ZIMNE HRY MAKABI BANSKA BYSTRICA 1936 surrounding a central figure and two skiers, reverse with central star of David, diameter 65mm., 93gr., in fitted case Provenance: This medal came from the estate of Hungarian Olympic gymnast, coach and judge Istvan Sarkany. The lot was purchased from a Vienna auction held by Dorotheum, May 2019. Sarkany was not Jewish, though in 1944 he married his friend Agnes Keleti, after it was rumoured, that married women were not taken to labour camps. They divorced in 1950 and Keleti went on to become one of the most successful Jewish Olympic athletes. At 100 years old she is now believed to be the world’s oldest surviving Olympic champion. It is unknown if she competed in the 1936 games as she was only 15 years of age at the time.
£1,500 - £2,000
Bronze medal from the 1936 Second Winter Jewish Maccabiah Games at Banska, Bystrica, 18th- 22nd February, awarded to an unnamed participant, circular form, obverse inscribed IL SVETOVE ZIMNE HRY MAKABI BANSKA BYSTRICA 1936 surrounding a central figure and two skiers, reverse with central star of David, diameter 65mm., 93gr., in fitted case Provenance: This medal came from the estate of Hungarian Olympic gymnast, coach and judge Istvan Sarkany. The lot was purchased from a Vienna auction held by Dorotheum, May 2019. Sarkany was not Jewish, though in 1944 he married his friend Agnes Keleti, after it was rumoured, that married women were not taken to labour camps. They divorced in 1950 and Keleti went on to become one of the most successful Jewish Olympic athletes. At 100 years old she is now believed to be the world’s oldest surviving Olympic champion. It is unknown if she competed in the 1936 games as she was only 15 years of age at the time.