pour le merite medal

azsolla · 14 July 2009, 06:59 PM

Hi! I am new and know nothing about this so go easy on me guys!!!

I got hope chest several years ago at an auction and there were a ton of victorian, and antique stuff in it

I found this in a box with other medals and old old jewelry can anyone help me. I dont think its real but I have no clue.

it heavy and brass ~ and has patina to it.

cameldriver · 15 July 2009, 09:20 AM

Looks like a pretty crudecopy to me.

azsolla · 15 July 2009, 01:59 PM

Thank you for helping!

I have other old medals and some say GAR and old old buttons that were in the box.

Is this the right forum to post in or should I seek help somewhere else?

I do appreciate the help!

Jim · 15 July 2009, 04:52 PM

It is trying to be a Blue Max, but as was said, it is just a very badly made reproduction.

GAR stands for Grand Army of the Republic which was the veterans association of former soldiers in the Union Army after the War Between the States. The GAR held countless meetings and reunions of every regiment that was in the war, every year after the war ended in 1865 for a great many decades afterwards. For example, my ancestor was in an Infantry Regiment and I have GAR souvenirs from his regiment for a great many years and going as late as 1933 which was 70 years after this regiment was disbanded. At every reunion of every regiment, and at combined reunions of army corps and such, ribbons and medals were handed out to all of the veterans who showed up. There were a great many hundreds of Regiments in the Union army. The result is there is a huge amount of this kind of GAR material around. Some of the material from the most famous regiments commands higher prices than the lesser known regiments.

For your GAR material, you might do better to ask at one of the many websites that specialize in the War Between the States.

azsolla · 15 July 2009, 04:57 PM

Thank you for the info!!!

what about sterling pins with wings and what looks like a parachute?

Doc · 15 July 2009, 11:18 PM

You may want to post your GAR stuff on the Gentlemen's Military Interest Club site (Gentleman's Military Interest Club (Powered by Invision Power Board) There is a US Section. But photos are always more desirable than words--- for example, I can probably think of dozens of things which might be "sterling pins with wings and what looks like a parachute". Doc

Jim · 16 July 2009, 09:12 AM

If you could post a clear photo of the wings with a parachute I could give you a better idea of exactly what you have, but from your description it should be a WW II or post WW II Parachutist Badge, more commonly called jump wings. This badge was created in 1941 and was were worn by every soldier who qualified to parachute out of an aircraft. Mainly they were worn by the Airborne troops who were trained to jump into a location rather than ride in on trucks. They are still awarded today.

Doc · 16 July 2009, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim

If you could post a clear photo of the wings with a parachute I could give you a better idea of exactly what you have, but from your description it should be a WW II or post WW II Parachutist Badge, more commonly called jump wings. This badge was created in 1941 and was were worn by every soldier who qualified to parachute out of an aircraft. Mainly they were worn by the Airborne troops who were trained to jump into a location rather than ride in on trucks. They are still awarded today.

Jim, that certainly is a good guess, but I can think of numerous other countries which have badges which could be described the same way. I second your request for a photo so we can help Azsolla out. Doc

GMU · 22 July 2009, 01:48 PM

Can you tell me what size is this plm? Looks like a miniature, and sometimes these were crudely made.