Miracle in Moscow

It’s not often that we find items belonging to our distant ancestors; in fact, it’s very rare. But Eduard Gins, who lives in a
suburb of Moscow, managed to do just that recently, by an amazing coincidence! Actually, Eduard made his own luck by
searching through an antiques market in June. Eduard shared his extraordinary discovery with Sara Guins, Vicky
Mlyniec, and me a few days later. Below, Eduard, who has already published four books on his Russian family history,
describes how he found and purchased a rare object that was once a treasured Gins family heirloom. (Translation from
Russian via Google Translate).

Eduard Gins found the above graduation medallion that had been issued to Konstantin Emilevich Gins following completion of courses at the St. Petersburg Topographic Institute in 1881. Konstantin Gins’ name is engraved on the front (photo, left) of the medallion. The reverse side (photo, right) includes dates connected with the history of the Topographic Institute. Photographs courtesy of Eduard Gins.

Stories From My Life by Eduard Guins

Life is very interesting and very often unknowable! I have previously told stories of how and why I began to study the history of our extended (Guins) family. I am very lucky in this life! I met a lot of good, smart and sympathetic people who helped me collect and restore family history. I'm still trying for twenty years to collect items, badges, medals, orders dedicated to our ancestors and others that describe the whole life of a person who was born in Tsarist Russia, studied, served, married, his family, children, property, his exploits and awards and titles and ranks.

So, I visit various antique shops, exhibitions, fairs and other events where they sell or present items related to the period of Tsarist Russia. On Saturday, the first of July, I visited the corridors of the Izmailovo antiques market (near Moscow) to look for tokens and medals about the graduation from educational and military institutions of Tsarist Russia. Arriving at the market, I walked along the rows and at first I was not interested in much, then I saw the badge of a sailor dated 1902. The seller turned out to be a young man named Marat. We talked, I bargained with him and in order not to offend him I made him a payment with a minimum discount. Marat thanked me and gave me a coin of three kopecks as a sign of good luck to my grandson or son. To which I answered him, there are no grandchildren yet! He said - all the same, good luck to you and your son! At another stall I saw the token of the captain of the tsarist army, we bargained a little, I talked with the owner of the store about the price of other awards, and for some reason I decided not to buy this medal, but instead to go for a walk! This is where you need to understand and remember! For exactly one hour I walked completely senselessly along the corridors of the Izmailovo antiques market! These are hundreds of sellers and antique stalls!!! I looked at the shelves a little distracted! And suddenly! Who knows what spurred me on this trip and to stop at a particular counter. I found out the owner's name was Konstantin!!! So, I stopped at the counter, where more than eighty percent of the goods were jewelry! And only two sections were devoted to awards and medals. There I saw two medals that I absolutely did not need! Konstantin said that he had a large collection of other tokens, which he had been collecting for forty years since 1969! He took out a small stockbook, in which lay open a medal about the end of the Mikhailovsky Artillery School. I asked about its price, I remember the prices at auctions and sales and it seemed very reasonable. And in another compartment, in two packages, there was another medal. I asked what it is and can I see it? Konstantin gave me a medal one side with epaulettes and said, this is a medal of the end of training at the military topographic school!

School of Topographers, St. Petersburg. Photograph courtesy of Eduard Gins.

At that moment, I didn’t even remember which of my ancestors might have studied there! I took the phone and turned on the electronic magnifier to get a better view of the medal. When I turned it over and saw what was written there! My hands trembled and goosebumps went all over my body! I was numb!!! I asked the price of this item. When the seller, Konstantin, quoted me, I said it was the medal of (Constantine Emilievich  Guins) my cousin’s  great grandfather, the brother of my great-grandfather Modest Emilievich Guins! Of course he didn't believe me! The seller and several nearby sellers thought that I was a dealer who was buying things. I showed my documents and some photographs from the archive. I asked Konstantin not to sell for a couple of days, that I will think it over and call. We exchanged phone numbers. I left with my mind in a whirl, but even then, I decided to buy this medal. But first I wanted to check the archival documents about Constantine Emilevich Guins. Secondly, I called my friendly antique dealers who sell old Russian orders, medals, tokens from the time of the tsarist Empire. I wanted to know the medal’s fair price. I also wanted to talk to my family. When I checked everything and made sure that this was indeed our ancestor, I decided one hundred percent - I'm buying.

Constantine Emilievich  Guins and his wife Ekaterina Lamzaki Guins

I am completely sure now that our Lord and our ancestors led me to this seller so that I could close one of the circles of family history and return the medal that belonged to our ancestors to the family! The next day, I went and bought this medal. The seller Konstantin and his acquaintances, until the last moment, did not believe that this was possible! Neither did I. To find the graves of your ancestors when you know a little bit about where they are buried. It's possible. Long, difficult, but possible! But, to find something like this - a thing that belonged to your ancestor, he wore it, held it in his hands! This is something supernatural!!

Ismailovski Market in Moscow Suburbs