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When the historian of Thessalonica Leon Saltiel discovered in the basket of a second-hand shop in Geneva a bronze replica of a tank truck from the 60s with the inscription “Olympic Maritime SA” knew that it was not just a solid object that could decorate his office, among the many books , if not then an object that “carries” its own history. A story associated with a business “myth”, the Aristotle Onassis, since it made reference to the name of the company, engraved in the bronze base of the tanker.
“I found this office ornament (a kind of ‘newsprint’) in the shape of an oil tanker at a flea market in Geneva a few months ago. Clearly the ship has seen … better days as some parts are missing and the base looks a bit damaged. However, it is quite heavy, probably solid bronze, which shows its prominent origin. “ explains to APE-MPE Leon Saltiel, who, with such “memory fragments” that he seeks and finds in bazaars of ancient objects or in its various second-hand stores Geneva And on the Internet, reconstruct a part of a bigger story each time.
In this case, the inscription “with thanks to Olympic Maritime SA, April 1969” on one side of the object and on the other the reference to a Class A tanker, 215,000 tons, were enough to put it in the data search process. “With a quick search I saw that Olympic Maritime was none other than the company of Aristotle Onassis, one of the most famous Greeks of modern times. The shipping magnate had amassed the largest private maritime fleet in the world and was one of the richest and most famous men on the planet. “notes the Thessaloniki historian, explaining that whenever he searched in the past for Onassis-related items in second-hand shops in Geneva, the only thing he could find was photos or even books, but never something so different.
That year, or somewhere nearby, Onassis had bought two tanker trucks of a size corresponding to that of the replica. «It had received two tanker trucks built in Japan with a similar capacity. So maybe you would have made this article in memory of that market and distributed it to your customers. “Here in Geneva, you have large shipping companies, as well as companies that buy oil and similar products.” Mr. Saltiel explains, noting that even though some pieces are missing, one wonders how that object was thrown and ended up among other antiquated objects in the basket of a thrift store. “It is of good quality and it seems that at the time it was an expensive, impressive gift”, declares characteristics.
Onassis started his shipping business in New York and in 1952 founded Olympic Maritime in Paris to manage his shipping assets from Europe. In 1953, Olympic moved its offices to Monte Carlo, where it remained until 1997. The Copper Tanker it was probably a corporate gift, sent from Monte Carlo to a customer of the company in Geneva in 1969 “, says the historian, who usually spends several Saturdays in antique shops and street markets, as he finds it fascinating that an object can convey a story.
“I think history is very linked to objects. I also studied files, books, and photographs when I was researching for my PhD. That is, the object is what the story conveys, was there at the time or the season you are studying. “By exploring this object, you also reconstruct its history”, He says.
“The object”, Saltiel continues, «is an “eyewitness” of that period and by studying it you can find many manifestations of that period. For example, in the case of this boat, its quality, weight and design testify that it was a very expensive gift, so the company was doing very well and perhaps wanted to impress its customers and mark its new ships in fleet. In this way, you reconstruct an entire era and a history that are part of a larger history, of Greece or of Europe ”.
Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
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