Wyomingguy

very cool item. So with these German-American badges, did they copy existing European models and if so...how did they get them.

Thank you so much for the information on the sailor. Very much appreciate it. The 1895 badge is very cool and your timing is impeccable. Some years ago, I ran a program in Lancaster Pennsylvania on the tradition of frakturschriften. Most of our speakers had the same consensus that there had been a rich and very visible German culture in the United States that was effectively wiped away by the First World War. The biggest casualties were the German language books and newspapers that were wiped out and which in turn led to the demise of the German language in many communities. Not far from where I lived, the town of Bismark was renamed Quentin for Quentin Roosevelt (youngest son of Teddy Roosevelt).

That is a fascinating item. I did not realize the widespread appeal of the Franco-Prussian War here in the states. A very cool piece. This is another American photograph. The image is from St. Louis and depicts a sailor. I am guessing that this is a copy image of an original probably taken in Asia. The reverse has a notation that he was stationed at the German naval base in China in 1901. Would be curious to know about the medals. I have seen American Civil War cdv photographs copied later in the 19th century as larger cabinet cards. My suspicion is that they were made so that multiple family members could get copies.

Thank you all. I will share two other images of Imperial veterans living in the United States I lean towards these being worn as part of friendship societies in the pre World War One era. They seem to turn up in cities where there was a sizable German population. This handsome devil was photographed in Newark, NJ.

I acquired this image some years ago. What fascinates me beyond his service (and I would be curious as to a read on his service based upon his medals) is that the photograph bears the imprinted logo " Henry D. Schocrry/43 Avenue A/New York." I suspect the subject was an immigrant to the United States and had this image made of him wearing his European medals. It is not the first example of a former Imperial soldier wearing his medals taken by an American photographer that I have and they fascinate me.

An interesting addenda. There is some debate about the number "21" on the Pennsylvania masonic world war 1 service badge. While Perseverance Lodge is #21 on the rolls of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, these badges were issued to Freemasons across the state who were not members of that lodge. An example in my collection was from a member of a lodge in Philadelphia. They are engraved and dated (mine is from 1937) on the reverse. I do not have a clear explanation for the 21 although I have suspected this may be when it was authorized but that is a case. They are in sterling. As an unrelated aside, for those interested in Masonic veterans, the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania published a volume listing all World War 2 veterans. Titled HONOR ROLE: MILITARY AND NAVAL SERVICE WORLD WAR II, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1941-1945. The members are listed by lodge and there is no index sadly. However, it does include service information including decorations.

Each year, the Masonic Knights Templar leaders gather in convocations. During the late 1800s and into the early 1900s, these were often huge events hosted in big cities. Commemorative pitchers, plates, books and badges were issued for these. Some were official and others were unique to a particular state or local Commandery who attended. My guess on this is that this was worn by the Templar members from Connecticut (the black and white are the colors of the Masonic Knights Templars) and the hanging nut...and I am not expert on this...is from the state where the convocation was held. My guess if it is a hickory nut is Tennessee as the state is nicknamed the Old Hickory State in honor of President Andrew Jackson who was from there.

A bit more detail. The Order of DeMolay was founded in Kansas City Missouri by Frank S. Land. The Order is open to young men who express an interest in joining. Being related to a Freemason is not required for membership. It exists to the present day and is international in scope although its strength remains in the United States. This is a third or present style membership medal and dates from 1949 to the present. It is usually presented to a new member and is worn around the neck. They are in base metal and Balfour was the preferred maker for many years.

The Knights of Pythias was founded in 1864 and is one of a host of late 19th century fraternal societies created in the United States. A good summary can be found in Alan Axelod's book THE INTERNATIONAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SECRET SOCIETIES AND FRATERNAL ORDERS. The organization has shrunk considerably over the years and I have yet to meet a collector of their memorabilia. The item shown is a watch fob that was worn on the chain with a pocket watch. They were produced commercially by a wide rage of firms in base and fine metals.

And a quick addenda to this. When I joined a Masonic Knights Templar Commandery in 1988, I was given one of these upon receiving the Malta degree. It is rather tinny and unmarked. We had the option of upgrading to a better variety with the name of our Commander on the top suspension bar. In the collectors market, they are often mistakenly sold as Civil War mourning crosses.