Wyomingguy

Thanks so much Gordon. I agree it relates to the other as well. The medals appear to be 100% genuine but I would not want to go swimming with it on as I think you would sink with the weight. I just cannot figure out if it was worn by a widow or as a souvenir given to a sweetheart by an Allied soldier. The medals don't seem to make sense as to whether any single soldier could have won them. There is a clasp but it is hard to see and very tight...again doubting this was worn much.

I purchased this on eBaythis week thinking when it was described as a charm bracelet made of medals that it would consist of miniature or small scale medals. Instead, they are full size on a heavy chain. I show obverse and reverse her and they assuredly appear genuine. Is this some kind of cray oversize souvenir bracelet? It's very large and heavy to wear but it does appeal to be a bracelet. Any thoughts? It's for my own collection so even if a dud it is interesting to me.

thanks for the identification and sorry to be long in responding. I appreciate it very much. Peter

Muy apologies...new bifocals. It is 1937

thanks. I appreciate the info

I recently acquired the illustrated cross. I know the bar is not original but am curious as to any thoughts as to why it was attached. It has been on the ribbon for a long time and I would venture to say that it is period to the 1930s.

This is one of my favorite threads so thought I would add a photograph that I just got of a family with two sons and a father both in uniform.

Thank you so much for this. Your translation opened the door to figuring it out. The book came from the aviso Grille, the Nazi state yacht, where in 1951 it was scrapped in Bordentown New Jersey, United States and its contents scattered among various collections. Your translation triggered us to dig into it and we are now pretty convinced that it was from the Grille Many thanks for your help!!!!

Good evening colleauges My apologies up front if this is posted in the wrong location but I am hoping this can be a place to start and if a moderator feels it is better elsewhere then please feel free to move it. I am the CEO of the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We have an extensive archives that was assembled primarily from about 1960 to about 1995. As a result of some institutional ups and downs, the museum lost staff and many items in its archives were never properly cataloged. Our head of collections approached me today about a ledger book in German. The dates from the spring of 1945 and I am attaching as good a scan as I can currently obtain of a page. I will attempt to upload other pages but am happy to email members full scans. We do not know the significance or provenance of the book . Because our scope of collecting is maritime history, I would assume this is a record of some type of civilian transport ship but that is purely a guess. There are no Kriegsmarine stamps and the volume is a a simple printed ledger on poor wartime paper. Any help would be appreciated and many, many thanks in advance. Peter Another image

I agree totally. It is such a look-alike medal and my sense truly is that it was intended to show off a won "iron cross" even though it is a commemorative.

Thank you so much. I truly appreciate this information. Peter

I just acquired this on eBay for my collection of award documents. The text in the center appears to be hand scrivened. Can anyone identify what this is for or provide any context for it. Thanks in advance. Peter

Thank you to you both. I agree with both your assessments that it was an item produced for the veterans market. What struck me is both the weight and quality of the piece. Saschaw...thank you for the link as this is clearly the same as my cross albeit with a different ribbon. In looking at it more closely, it may well be die struck. The back is very well finished and the beading is crisp so I think you are correct that it is probably die struck. The ribbon has been on a very long time so who knows when it was added. Thank you v.Perlet and you are spot on that almost anything could have been done between the wars. I think that is part of the interest, at least for me, in collecting this period. Peter

I just acquired this for my collection and am hoping for some assistance in identifying it. The form is clearly based on a second class EK. It is uniface with a flat back and no marks on the back or ring. The ribbon is of typical black and white grosgrain. The front is well cast with black paint in the center of the arms. The cross has "Furst Wilhelm von Hohenzollern" across the horizontal. On the top arm "BAY. 22. JR" and on the bottom arm " in treue fest!" The cross is well made with a beaded edge and some weight so it is more than just a tinny copy of an EK2. I assume it is a regimental piece but would wearing such a close copy of an Iron Cross have been permitted. Thanks for any thoughts in advance. Peter

I just acquired this medal for my collection and am hoping some of you might be able to help in identifying it. The piece came from a collection that included many military and patriotic societies so I believe this is probably a medal for membership in such a group with ties to World War 2. The ribbon is the standard American World War 2 victory ribbon and it has been clearly associated with the medal for a long time if not original. It has now clasp or pin. The medal is a rather tinny rendering of what appears to be the French Legion of Honor. However, it is uni-face with nothing on the reverse. Could it be a bad for Americans who served in France following the Normandy invasion? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Peter

She is an incredible ship and we are very proud to have her open to the public. Her history is amazing not just because of her role in the Span Am but also in World War, the Spanish Flu epidemic, service during the Russian Revolution and carrying the Unknown Soldier. She also tested our rudimentary underwater detection gear for the Navy!!! https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/04/30/unknown-soldier-arlington-uss-olympia/

Resurrecting this thread for an update. As the CEO of the Independence Seaport Museum, who operates and restores the ship, I can report that all of threats from back in 2010 about sinking her as a reef were just talk. Since then, we have invested several million dollars in restoration work including an annual project to use a cofferdam to expose parts of the hull along the water line to ensure she is water tight. Right now we are finishing up studies to begin a campaign to raise money to replace the deck and keep the interior of the ship dry. We also will need to remove layers of asbestos, concrete and other assorted "miracle products" that were applied to the deck over the years. Not easy or inexpensive to do. Work will continue on the hull and we also want to begin restoration work on various interior spaces of the ship. This year we have been hosting a number of celebrations commemorating the 100th anniversary of the return of the American Unknown Soldier from France to the United States. We installed a lovely memorial to the unknown solider in the exact spot where the coffin was placed (see the photo below) The saga of the transport of the unknown soldier is truly memorable. When the coffin was brought aboard the Olympia in France, it was found that it could not fit inside the structure of the ship. No one wished to tip the coffin upright and thus disturb the body. So they elected to place the coffin in a place of honor on the upper deck of the ship. During the trip, the Olympia was lashed by two significant storms (today they would probably be called hurricanes). The Marine Corps honor guard was concerned about losing the coffin so they posted a continuous guard on the deck of the ship and lashed themselves to the area around the body. Thankfully no one was lost and the ship arrived in Washington and the coffin was transported to Arlington National Cemetery. Olympia is an incredible ship and we are so proud to be able to showcase her to the public. If you come to Philadelphia, plan to spend an afternoon visiting what is truly one of the most unique ships still afloat. Her present configuration is a bit of a hybrid between her appearance in the Spanish American War period and that of her time during World War One. Most of the current profile of the ship, however, most closely resembles the World War 1 period. She is open for visitors and there is a special exhibit on her right now about the American Unknown Soldier. We are rolling out a new website today so I will share the new link once it populates out a bit more.

thanks so much

Just back on the forum having moved this year from Wyoming to New Jersey. Thank you for the information on the photographs. They popped up on eBay without provenance but clearly of quality and interest so this is wonderful to know. They are treasured parts of my collection.

thats a great help!!!! thank you so much!!!!! Peter

they are really wonderful and tell quite a story!!! thanks for sharing

I just acquired this photograph of a young Captain in the Pennsylvania National Guard dated 1898. He is wearing the regulation uniform for national guard officer. One can see the double silver bars of his rank--Captain--on the paddle form shoulder boards. Why I purchased the photograph was the row of medals on his chest. Wearing military and civilian hereditary society medals on your uniform was permitted during this period. So what is he wearing....from viewer's left to right: 1) Members medal of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Founded in 1865 by Union army officers who served as pall bearers for President Abraham Lincoln, it became a hereditary society that still exists for male descendants of Civil War officers. Our subject, based upon his age, was probably the son of a Union army officer who was a member of MOLLUS. The original sons had a blue center on the ribbon while heredity members had a red center ribbon. 2) Members medal of the General Society of the Sons of the Revolution. There is a great deal of misunderstanding between the Sons of the Revolution (founded 1876) and the Sons of the American Revolution (founded in 1889). While both organizations are hereditary societies of men who are descended from soldiers (and by extension certain others who supported the American Revolution), the Sons of the Revolution is a smaller and some would argue more prestigious invitational organization. The badge is a gold circle of stars with a central figure of a standing figure of a patriot. The suspension is a golden eagle. The Sons of the Revolution were, and still are, strong in Pennsylvania and particularly in the Philadelphia area. 3) Members medal of the General Society of the War of 1812. This handsome medal was worn by those who are descended from American veterans of the War of 1812. This is the smallest of the three noted hereditary societies. Founded in 1815, the General Society evolved over the 19th century and still exists today. 4) Pennsylvania National Guard marksman medal. This medal (probably more correctly called a badge) is the only official National Guard medal on his uniform. The badge is in the shape of a keystone (Pennsylvania is known as the keystone state) and a pendant was hung from it with the number of years qualifying as a marksman. It probably was silver. The national guard in many states, particularly Pennsylvania, was a very social organization in the late 19th century. I recall reading about the funeral of one National Guard officer ---not this young man--who was both a Civil War veteran and a high ranking Freemason. The newspaper story noted that his funeral reached the cemetery before the last elements had left the church which was almost a mile away! A fascinating image that reveals the social side of National Guard service in Victorian America.

So maybe its my innate desire to acquire weird stuff but I do appreciate everyone's help in my prior identification. This is a group of items that I recently purchased for my own collection. The lot consists of: 1) A post WW2 miniature chain consisting of an Eastern Front medal, War Merit Second with swords, War Merit First with Swords, Iron Cross Second (1939), black wound badge, Infantry Assault Badge, Kurland shield, Demjask shield. 2) Two stickpins--both post War--32nd Infantry Division and 122nd Infantry Division 3) Copy of Greif Rundbrief-December 1975--for veterans of the 122nd Infantry Division 4) Photocopy of an image of four German soldiers with text on the reverse. I have little faith that I can identify this fellow but would be incredibly grateful for any opinions that folks could offer to us. Happy New Year to everyone and thanks in advance for any help in solving this mystery!

Thanks. I find it really fascinating how the tribal artisans came together to abandon the use of the swastika on the eve of the Second World War.

Thanks Eric. Harvey and his contemporaries farmed a lot of their work out exclusively to Navajo and Pueblo makers. Harvey had a real interest in supporting Native American artisans although some of his competitors were not quite so supportive and paid low wages for their work. Interestingly, the Mexican arts were actually more expensive and in some cases sold really well in his stores than the Native goods. In the years after the Mexican Revolution, Mexico became a really hot tourist destination particularly for those who had $$ from the West Coast. Movies were filmed there and the Spanish style of architecture really took off here in the west. As a result, Mexican curios (as the shops sold them) were in hot demand and real Mexican antiques brought premium prices. As you quite correctly noted, the swastika (backwards and forwards) was used by a lot of businesses in the US before Hitler. In my hometown of Harrisburg Pennsylvania, Doutrich's Mens store produced good luck tokens probably in the 1920s with the swastika on them. I suspect they were made in Philly or one of the larger cities where there was the ability to cheaply produce quantities of them. I was always surprised so many survived that one used to see them at flea markets frequently. The Navajos referred to the swastika as whirling logs and one still sees that referenced by collectors and dealers who sell these older wares. The major southwestern tribes agreed to stop using the whiling logs or swastika symbol in 1940. Its a really fascinating topic for sure. I ran a museum in northern New Mexico and we had to always explain the swastikas that appeared on weavings and jewelry to the visitors who came in to see our exhibits.