Couchy? UG? Gold General Stars? What the?

[a2jacketpatches]

I'm sure one of you guys has the scoop on these. Doesn't look like they were plated ever, bought them this morning fro a vendor that called them earrings
Couldn't find much but Snyders Treasures has a set of single star in gold bullion on blue saying they were prototypes in 1944.

 

[unclegrumpy]

WW II era or somewhat before, Police.

 

[a2jacketpatches]

Thanks

 

[ausreenactor]

Meyer Shold R Form hallmarks. Gold is strange. Great detail on the borders... In 1944, the US Army Air Force contracted a series of prototype officer insignia in bullion on blue felt. These included wings and officer rank insignia. One of the rarest and most difficult insignia to find was the GOLD bullion general officer stars. General Hap Arnold did not like the way the gold looked on either wings or bullion, and quickly deactivated the plans to mass produce them for distribution. Thinking Police though...

 

[horseback leader]

I am thinking police too. NS Meyer, a New York company, would have a fair amount of 1-star NYPD Chief's in the police department to warrant manufacture their high quality Should-r-form insignia in the form of stars in gold metal. Makes total sense.

If the US Army had them made for anyone, I imagine they'd have been made for General John Pershing, who, in 1919, was Promoted by the President of the US (authorized by US Congress) to the rank of General of the Armies of the United States, a rank created for him, outranking any that came before, (or since, until US President Gerald Ford bestowed the same rank upon General George Washington, posthumously). Pershing chose to wear four gold stars (instead of silver) thereafter for the remainder of his career.

I sure hope we aren't thinking these are stars actually worn by good old Blackjack Pershing himself...

Dan

 

[a2jacketpatches]

I am thinking police too. NS Meyer, a New York company, would have a fair amount of 1-star NYPD Chief's in the police department to warrant manufacture their high quality Should-r-form insignia in the form of stars in gold metal. Makes total sense.

If the US Army had them made for anyone, I imagine they'd have been made for General John Pershing, who, in 1919, was Promoted by the President of the US (authorized by US Congress) to the rank of General of the Armies of the United States, a rank created for him, outranking any that came before, (or since, until US President Gerald Ford bestowed the same rank upon General George Washington, posthumously). Pershing chose to wear four gold stars (instead of silver) thereafter for the remainder of his career.

I sure hope we aren't thinking these are stars actually worn by good old Blackjack Pershing himself...

Dan

While I was waiting for replies from my two good buddies, I found the all of these answers myself in the USMF and elswhere online. It should have hit me at first but wishful thinking took over briefly. I think it's safe to label them vintage police insignia as of a few days ago. So no, we're not thinking anything else at this point.

 

[unclegrumpy]

NS Meyer made lots of insignia for foreign countries too...especially in South America. Much of it has components of US insignia, but doctored up in some way to make it different, often by making it gold where the US versions are silver. There are lots of examples of pilot wings like this....standard US wings gilded with an enameled shield of the new country pasted on top of the US shield.

The other tip off with these stars is the framing. Regulation US Army generals stars do not have this, though I must say I have seen US Generals wearing them before...but in silver. They would not be what was sold in the PX, and I suspect were purchased in specialty uniform stores where there were more choices, including non regulation ones. Through the end of WW II, Generals had some latitude in what they wore....think Patton as an example....so I don't think anyone would have said anything about it.

Snyders Treasures has a long held reputation for fanciful pricing and descriptions of things...especially of German items...and it is always interesting to read some of their stuff.

 

[a2jacketpatches]

I did see a Gunner Wing recently in gold and wonder.