Where did all the Irish bars go??

[dpk]

All of the 1901 and 1903 'Visit To Ireland' medals issued to Irish police at the time had a top brooch bar with Shamrock decorations. However, very many of those medals seen for sale now do not have that bar. Where have they all gone?

 

The bars themselves very rarely appear at auction and fetch a very high price- about £60 to £80 each last I saw. Does any one know where they might be available, as I need 2 of them to complete a couple in my collection? Also keen to understand why so many are missing from the medals.

 

Hope to hear!

DPK

[QSAMIKE]

I have the same problem with the Kimberly Star, there was a top bar, but when being mounted many many years ago the top bar was removed so they would hang straight.....   This also happened  to many of the top bars for the DSO....  

 

Mike

[dpk]

I saw 4 of these in one Lot for sale about 18 months ago at a UK auction (DNW I think but don't quote me) and they were estimated at £40 each, finally went for something like £90 each! There will be a box of junk from an old Irish medal mounting shop in an attic out there somewhere worth about a million dollars!

[bigjarofwasps]

Just out of interest, what are these bars made of? If it’s silver I fear many my have been scraped?

[dpk]

Bronze. There are also duplicates seen for sale occasionally but getting an original seems to be almost impossible.

[gongz]

Local Irish bar hasn't gone away - but QR scanning and seating spacing is required!

[dpk]

Ah, Gongz, it is just unthinkable that the Irish would do away with bars. They would have to fight in the street...