I bought an old painting in 2022. What I discovered prompted me to create this page.
by Jesse Karjalainen
I found this painting in a countryside antique shop in Småland.
In the summer of 2022 I was out for a countryside drive in the northern region of Småland, in Sweden. At one point I saw a hand-painted sign that read 'LOPPIS'. This is the Swedish word for "flea" - short for loppmarknad, or flea market. More generally, Swedes use it to call anything where second-hand things are being sold.
I turned off with eagerness and explored what turned out to a large country barn, part of a farm and right next to a beautiful old house. The "flea market" was in fact more of a private antique store that evidently looked like the farmer's permanent side-hustle.
The place was packed with objects of all kinds, but to cut a long story short, one item stood out enough for me to buy it. This was an old oil painting of what looked like a traditional Swedish couple. Who knew how old it was?
The portrait and old frame had a certain asthethic appeal: I thought it would be nice to have a traditional old Swedish painting in my new Swedish house.
The couple seemed representative of Old Sweden and Old Småland. The price was a reasonable 600kr (say 40-50 bucks) and I took it home.
It was only when I took it inside that I discovered a small envelope tucked in at the rear of the painting.
On the back was this unexpected envelope.
On it were the following hand-written words:
Data on min Farfar och Farmor.
Or 'Data about my Grandpa (Dad's Dad) and Grandma (Dad's Mum). The writing had a style
The handwriting looked to belong to someone of an older generation.
Flipping open the envelope without removing it from between the frame and the canvas, I found a stiff piece of card and the following details:
The Finnish looped-square symbol can be seen at Finland’s National Museum on this ancient Viking-Age decorated ski.
Farfar
Hans Åkason Grahn
Soldat, Hemmansägare i S. Sandby.
Kronofjärdingsman " -- " --. (repeat of i S. Sandby)
Född 13/9 1823 i Refvinge, son till
Åke Mattson
Död 15/2 1904 i S. Sandby; 80 år, 5 mån.
Gravsten bevarad å S. Sandbys
kyrkogård. Psalm 468, gamla
Psalmboken.
This was obviously (it must be assumed) the man in picture. He is Hans Grahn. I will translate the rest in a moment.
Hans Åkason Grahn (1823-1904).
The note continued with the woman's biography:
Farmor
Bengta Jönsdotter
Född 21/12 1821 i S. Sandby
Död 31/5 1906 " -- " --
84 år, 6 mån
Gravsten osv = för Farfar
This is Bengta Jönsdotter.
Bengta Jönsdotter (1821-1906).
Farfar - GrandpaHans Åkason Grahn
Soldat, Hemmansägare i S. Sandby.
Kronofjärdingsman " -- " --. (repeat of i S. Sandby)
Född 13/9 1823 i Refvinge, son till
Åke Mattson
Död 15/2 1904 i S. Sandby; 80 år, 5 mån.
Gravsten bevarad å S. Sandbys
kyrkogård. Psalm 468, gamla
Psalmboken.
In translation, the information provided about Hans is that we was a soldier (soldat) who was the owner (ägare) of a farm/tract/piece of land (hemman) in South (S.) Sandby. He was a so-called kronofjärdingsman, a term for people employed by the crown to maintain order, policing, tax-collecting and other public duties in a local town or district. The position above this role was the kronolänsman ("Crown District's man").
The tri-lobed ‘Norse Knot’ (not actually a ‘valknut’) is possibly inspired by Norse contact with designs found in the British Isles.
Thus, it turns out that this couple were not from the Swedish region of Småland, rather they were from the southern region of Skåne.
* * *
Interestingly, when I look up the meaning of
kronofjärdsman online, the
Swedish Wikipedia page features a photo of one such person from the 1930s. And I notice something familiar.
The looped-square is one of several related ancient symbols found across Northern Europe starting in the centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire.
The photo depicts a man wear the exact same style of hat being worn by Hans Grahn in the painting.
The type of hat worn by local officials working in the capacity of kronofjärdingsman, photographed in the 1930s. (Source: Wikipedia.)
Thus, it turns out that this couple were not from the Swedish region of Småland, rather they were from the southern region of Skåne.
* * *
The rest of the biographical information about Hans Åkeson Grahn (1823-1904) states that he was the son of Åke Mattson and born in Refvinge (8km east of S. Sandby).
As for
Bengta Jönsdotter, there is no biographical information other than that she was born in Södra Sandby on 21 December 1821. I can only assume that Hans and Bengta were married.
I went online to see what I could find out about her, and the only thing I could find was
her note in the births register at Sandby church recorded on 21 December 1821.
The entry recording the birth of baby Bengta in Sandby on the 21 December 1821.
The column on the left reads Sandby. Bengta. A lot is difficult to read, to this untrained eye. Here's what I can make out:
Föddes Fredagen den 21. December och döptes Söndagen d. 23je
eges den i Kyrkan af XXXXXXX och kallades Bengta.
Föräldrar: Krona-Skatte-arbets-Hemmans åboen Jöns Jönsson
och dess hustru Kristina Hansdotter -- 30 å 30.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Born Friday the 21. December and baptised Sunday th. 23rd.
taking place in Church by XXXXXXX och called Bengta.
Parents: Crown-Tax-Payer land-farm rights-owner Jöns Jönsson
and his wife Kristina Hansdotter -- 30 and 30 (years).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Faddrar:
1a åb: Xake Jönsson i Ryd. 1x ab: Xake Jönssons hustru Gertrud
2a xx: Jöns Hansson i Sandby. Rasfes skattes ifrån Ryd. bar hene.
2a åb: Jöns Hanssons hustru Mätta Jönsdotter.
* * *
Now, bear in mind that I have never done any ancestry research before, there was next to nothing online that I could find. I do not have any Heritage/Ancestry subscriptions and was not willing to pay money just on the off chance that more information might be there.
Using the Swedish online databases, I could only find the birth notice for Bengta but not for Hans. The records for
* * *
Now, bear in mind that I have never done any ancestry research before, there was next to nothing online that I could find. I do not have any Heritage/Ancestry subscriptions and was not willing to pay money just on the off chance that more information might be there.
Using the Swedish online databases, I could only find the birth notice for Bengta but not for Hans. The records for
Jesse Karjalainen is an author, illustrator, podcaster and YouTuber (@JesseDotExpert). This article is extracted from his latest book, Thor’s Day - Untangling the real history, art and language of Viking Scandinavia and Anglo-Saxon Britain (on amazon). The above images are drawn by me and are protected by copyright. Please do not steal from an independent artist. If you want use the images, reach out and ask me for permission.
