1914 MONS STAR TURNED INTO BROOCH

[lone wolf]

Hi,

I found this on internet a couple of days ago it was a auction for MONS Star turned into a brooch.

To my understanding it was a practice followed for mutiny medals way back in 1857.

Although I didn’t win the auction, I would like to know if it’s a common practice followed for causalities of war.

This medal was named to 43383 DVR F PRITCHARD R.F.A.

Thanks

Amit

[paddywhack]

i saw that!what did it go for? was thinking of bidding but i didnt in the end! you see the broaching of medals more so up to ww1!iv a MM thats been broached,iv not seen any post ww1 medals broached!

[Tony]

I'd have had a bid on that if I had seen it but wouldn't have been prepared to pay much for it. Well, not the same as the going rate for a non brooched casualty 14 Star.

Brooched medals aren't seen every day but they are quite common. I have a brooched Victory medal to a man who survived the war so they obviously weren't only done by the families of men who didn't come home.

I've also seen several Victorian medals brooched, especially the Crimea medal.

Tony

[Mervyn Mitton]

Most of the earlier medals had examples that were pin mounted or, brooch mounted. The practise did really start with the Crimea War since medals were in greater numbers. However, I see lots of examples from the Zulu War and the Boer War. Occasionally - if the man was killed, the widow will wear the Medal in Memoriam - the more common practise was that the man would have it either mounted with the pin and catch - or, a full silver mount with the pin on the edges of the mount - this he would then give to his wife or, sweetheart. The pin mounts do a lot of damage - the brooch mount is better - but still requires a suspender and any clasps to be re-attached. I suppose the medal is de-valued by about 40 %.

[jeffskea]

I have an 1884 Khedives Star that was turned into a brooch. From what I could find apparently many Egyptian and Sudanese soldiers preferred to wear them this way. I'm sure there are a variety of reasons people brooch their medals.

[lone wolf]

Thanks all for giving insight, However I am still confused why the value of the medal will be reduced by 40% if it is for person who was killed in action as it was in most of the cases.

However I have come across 2 mutiny medals which were pin mounted and indeed it did a great deal of damage.

Does any one have any picture of family member of KIA wearing brooched or pin mounted medal.