Wyomingguy

Sorry, I should have been more clear in my original posting. The Navajos were not required to mark items .925 or sterling so it is very common to see, from this period, unmarked examples of their silver. One does not usually associate either the sterling or .925 until the late 20th century. So I am not surprised that this piece is unmarked. Similarly, maker's marks became common after the Second World War when buyers sought out particular silversmiths. This piece, in my estimation, comes from that an early 20th century period--pre Hitler--when the swastika was commonly used. I have seen the reverse swastika on not only bar pins like this but also on rugs and baskets as well. The topic of Mexican silver is fascinating unto itself. The Mexican government attempted at various times to regular the shops by assigning an eagle mark with a unique number to each workshop. Unfortunately there was no consistency in the issuing of the numbers so there are duplications. Items intended for export to the U.S. were, however, often marked with the maker name, sterling or .925, and to comply with requirements of the McKinley Act--Hecho in Mexico. In Albuquerque and Gallup (both New Mexico) there were large shops (one could describe them as sweatshops) that employed banks of silversmiths (mostly Native American) to crank out jewelry in bulk for the tourist trade. Some did get marked both with the name of the firm and either sterling or .925 but much was done quickly. They produced a fairly limited range of jewelry styles and decorations (a postcard was available to buy that gave great "symbolic" (mythical) meanings to the various emblems/symbols used on the jewelry. Today, collectors often call this work "Fred Harvey Jewelry" and there are several excellent publications on it.

I think I can help on this piece. Native American tribes in the American Southwest, used the reverse swastika on jewelry from the early 1900s until the rise of Hitler when they ceased incorporating the symbol into items. This piece is unusual in that it is marked .925 which is not common on much handmade Navajo jewelry from this period. My guess is that the piece may have been Indian made but for one of the larger jewelry production companies working in Albuquerque New Mexico. Much of this jewelry was retailed in the shops of famed pioneer hotelier/restauranteur/tourism pioneer Fred Harvey. Such pins were offered in gift shops from Chicago to San Diego to tourists heading west on Santa Fe railroad trains.

We now come to the three armies of the U.S. Army that fought in Europe. First Army's patch was a large letter A in black. It was organized on August 10, 1918 under the command of General Pershing to carry out the St. Mihiel offensive. Second Army's patch was a split red and white "2" It was created on October 12, 1918 to assist with the Meuse-Argonne offensive campaign. Major General Robert L. Bullard was assigned the command of the 2nd Army and Major General Hunter Liggett commanded 1st. Army. Both were under the command of General Pershing. The Third Army had a white letter A within a red circle on a blue circle. It was organized on November 14, 1918 under the command of Major General Joseph T. Dickman. It was formed to be the unit of the Army of Occupation after the war. Of course, I forgot some folks and so my apologies for adding onto this list out of numerical order. The 79th Division was made up of men from Maryland and Pennsylvania and left for overseas in July of 1918. Their patch is the Lorraine Cross on a blue shield.

The patch of the 80th division shows three stylized blue mountains for the Blue Mountain Division made up of men from Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Organized at Camp Lee Virginia. The 81st Division's patch (hard to see in this image) is a wildcat on a khaki circle. It was composed of National Army soldiers from North and South Carolina along with Tennessee. Organized in September 1917 at Camp Jackson South Carolina, it arrived overseas in August 1918. The 82nd Division was the All American Division and had the letters AA in circle of blue on a red square as it's patch. It was initially organized with men from Georgia, Alabama and Florida. In October 1917 the majority of the men were transferred out to other divisions and replaced with men from Camp Devens Massachusetts, Camp Upton New York, Camp Dix New Jersey, Camp Meade Maryland and Camp Lee Virginia. It arrived overseas in May of 1918. The 88th Division patch has two figure 8's in blue crossed at right angles. It was made up of men from North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois. Organized at Camp Dodge Iowa in September 1917, the division arrived in Europe in August of 1918.

This is great information and thanks to everyone. I am making notes as fast as folks are posting! Peter

The patch of the 37th Division was a red circle within a white border. Known as the Buckeye Division because its members were from the Ohio National Guard, the division was organized at Camp Sheridan, Montgomery Alabama. It arrived in France in June 1918. The 42nd or Rainbow Division was so named as it was made up of National Guard units from throughout the United States. The division was organized in August 1917 and went overseas in October of that same year.

So up next is the 28th Division whose patch is a red keystone insofar as its members were members of the Pennsylvania National Guard (Pennsylvania being the keystone state). It was organized at Camp Hancock, Augusta, Georgia in August of 1917. It arrived overseas in May of 1918. The 32nd Division whose patch is a red arrow with a cross bar in the middle was organized in September of 1917 from national guard units from Michigan and Wisconsin It arrived overseas in January 1918.

Thanks so much to both of you. That would make sense as the cards of high quality so possible sets were made for each of them. I will dig into this more!!!! One never knows what you find on eBay! Peter

I thought it my interesting to see a patched representative RPPC or photograph of a soldier from many of the American Divisions that fought in the First World War. Up first is this soldier from the First Division or Big Red One. It was organized from regular army units and arrived in France in July of 1917. They prided themselves as the first division to both inflict enemy casualties and capture prisoners The patch is hard see but is a large number "1" Next is the Second Division formed from units of the regular Army and Marines. They served as part of the Army of Occupation at the end of the war. On the reverse is "The star and indian head you see on my sleeve is the emblem of he famous 2nd Division. And I am proud of it. Clayton Meitzler, Engineers on the Rhine Germany. The Third divison is next. They were known as Rock of the Marne and were organized Novemer 1917 at Camp Greene, Charlotte, North Carolina. Arrived oveseas in May, 1918. The Fifth Division patch is a red diamond. It was organized from the Regular Army at Camp Logan, Texas in May 1917. The division arrived overseas in March of 1918. This is a member of the 20th Field Artillery, Battery F, Fifth Division. A few more this evening and then some more tomorrow. The Seventh Division patch was tow black triangles touched on a red circle. The division was nicknamed the Hourglass Division. It was a Regular Army Division organized at Chickamaugua Park, Georgia in January of 1918. They arrived in 1918. The photograph is a favorite of mine as it shows a multigenerational family of soldiers. The central elderly gentleman was an officer in the Spanish-American War. The young man on the viewer's left also appears to be in an older uniform. The soldier on the right is wearing the shoulder patch of the 7th division. The 26th division patch is co-joined YD on a khaki background. The initials stand for Yankee Division and relates to the organization of the unit in August of 1917 in Boston Massachusetts. The Division was made up men from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine and Vermont as well as a contingent from the National Army from Fort Devens, Massachusetts. They left in September of 1917. More to follow....

So I purchased five photographs on ebay for my personal collection. I found them to be interesting on-line but when they arrived was really stumped by them. The five images were all taken in 1912 and the images (an odd oversize cabinet photograph that is very narrow) come from a Berlin photographer. The first mystery is this United States artillery officer!!! What is he doing with this group So I would love to know who they are, where they are from and what they were doing in Berlin that warranted this series of photographs.

Feather you believe it or not

Really fascinating and I am sure that many medals was quite the chick magnet

It is an impressive quantity. I am curious as to the random nature of their placement. I guess I would have arrayed them in nice rows. LOL

This 19th century cabinet card has a Mainz photographer back stamp. I am guessing with the random wear pattern and the unusual headgear that this is fraternal although I could be easily persuaded that it is theatrical. The medals are quite extensive and one does wonder what the backstory is. Any thoughts?

great image of "uncle otto" as he was described

I have been playing with the image but it is really, really soft. Have just not been able to enhance it. Will keep working on it

I will see if I can get a detail on it. Thank you for your thoughts!

I agree. Have enjoyed collecting these as they pack a lot of history into one little bar!

This is an interesting trio consisting of a U.S Army Mexican border service medal, World War 1 Victory medal with three battle participation bars (St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, and Defensive Sector) and then a French medal with Verdun bar. There are a number of possible choices including the US 90th division, 4th Air Park part of 1st Pursuit Group (air service) and others which wore that bar combination on the victory medal. The bar has lovely age and patina.

This relates to the topic but is not a military worn miniature medal group. I purchased this about eight months ago. It is a rather tinny charm bracelet that consists of a group of World War 2 miniature medals (although they appear to be more recent in date of manufacture). Among the group is a bronze star and a POW medal. One possibility is that it was assembled by a husband for his wife to wear perhaps at American Legion or similar dinners. The other option is that it may have been assembled for wear as a fashion item and was worn by someone who had no military connection. Certainly in the 90s and 2000s, there was a popular fashion trend to wear military patches and medals as fashion statements.

So more hunting turned up this German-American cabinet card. The imprint on the reverse is from Mt. Pleasant Pennsylvania. The borough of Mt. Pleasant in the western part of Pennsylvania. Clearly another veteran of European war who was proud of his medals. The image is washed out so identifying them may be pretty hard but I would be curious as to his career. No names or dates. Thanks Peter

thank you

Thank you all...those are quite the dinner plate size badges and that makes sense as to the gentleman in my photograph. Were they base metal or sterling? Again, I truly appreciate the clarity on this badge.

Thank you so much. I looked at it under a loop but the angle is such that I can't make anything out on the center medallion but your explanation makes perfect sense. Thanks!!! Peter

thank you so much peter