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Jewelry Box Jump Wings

a2jacketpatches

Active Member
Couchy, something tells me you may have a little insight on these wings. It's been mentioned elsewhere as possible Japanese made for 11th AB during occupation.

 

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
a2jacketpatches said:
It's been mentioned elsewhere as possible Japanese made for 11th AB during occupation.
These wings look a little nicer quality than the jump wings that I have seen that I knew were from the 11th AB. Those were one piece cast, rather than made from two pieces.

That does not mean these were not made in the Japanese Occupation, because they cranked out a lot of different insignia after the war that I have not followed all of the details of.

Seems to me I have a book that might show these, but I have to look for it. That said, there are also versions of this wing that show up in ETO groupings. There are fakes of them too.

However, yours is not a fake, but I am not sure I would worry about their exact pedigree....I'd leave that determination to the ABN "experts".....right or wrong, they will "know". ;)
 

watchmanjimg

Well-Known Member
Couldn't they simply have been modified to the order of a paratrooper with a deep Christian faith? There are numerous instances of military insignia being altered to suit individual preferences, such as the following (Serling is also seen wearing another such bracelet made from Jumpmaster wings):

300gmci.jpg
 

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
watchmanjimg said:
Couldn't they simply have been modified to the order of a paratrooper with a deep Christian faith? There are numerous instances of military insignia being altered to suit individual preferences.
Yes, there are plenty of examples of one off modifications to jump wings, but in this case, these are an example of something that was made and sold.

Also, I think the bracelet you pictured was also made/adapted and sold, rather than a one off made by the soldier. There are lots of different variations to these as well....far more than the jump wings.
 

watchmanjimg

Well-Known Member
unclegrumpy said:
watchmanjimg said:
Couldn't they simply have been modified to the order of a paratrooper with a deep Christian faith? There are numerous instances of military insignia being altered to suit individual preferences.
Yes, there are plenty of examples of one off modifications to jump wings, but in this case, these are an example of something that was made and sold.

Also, I think the bracelet you pictured was also made/adapted and sold, rather than a one off. There are lots of different variations to these as well....far more than the jump wings.

I couldn't find a pic online, but I believe Serling's Jumpmaster bracelet was in a different configuration with the chain fused directly to the outer edges of the wings. This too could have been a mass-produced item but it had more of a custom appearance.
 

a2jacketpatches

Active Member
looks like a standard jump wing soldered to an ID bracelet. Most of the time you'll find the remains from where the clutch posts or pin back was but my example shows no trace of that as if started as a charm. I've seen them with a Star of David as well.
 

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
watchmanjimg said:
I couldn't find a pic online, but I believe Serling's Jumpmaster bracelet was in a different configuration with the chain fused directly to the outer edges of the wings. This too could have been a mass-produced item but it had more of a custom appearance.
Many of these bracelets were modified/customized by jewelers using standard jump wings and off the shelf bracelets. The style you are referring to, where the chain is attached to the wings, is more commonly seen using AAF wings, but I have seen a number using jump wings too, but those don't really have enough heft to them.
 

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
a2jacketpatches said:
Most of the time you'll find the remains from where the clutch posts or pin back was but my example shows no trace of that as if started as a charm.
A charm??? I was assuming these were full sized jump wings.

I am guessing it is full sized, and the lack of a trace of attachments is to be expected, because these were made to go on a chain in the first place. This is one of the indications that these were made rather than modified.
 

a2jacketpatches

Active Member
unclegrumpy said:
a2jacketpatches said:
Most of the time you'll find the remains from where the clutch posts or pin back was but my example shows no trace of that as if started as a charm.
A charm??? I was assuming these were full sized jump wings.

I am guessing it is full sized, and the lack of a trace of attachments is to be expected, because these were made to go on a chain in the first place. This is one of the indications that these were made rather than modified.

Yeah, that's what I was getting at because watchmanjimg mentioned modified. Like you say, this one started life off as a necklace or something. And most likely not an issued piece but a privately owned Jeweler version. Wouldn't you agree?
 

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
a2jacketpatches said:
And most likely not an issued piece but a privately owned Jeweler version. Wouldn't you agree?
100% not issued. Possibly a US made jewelers version, but most likely made and sold to the troops outside the gates in either Japan or Europe. As you mentioned, these are most often attributed to the 11AB and the Japanese Occupation. I am not arguing that, but also know there are versions that came out of the ETO as well. It is a good piece, and hard to find these days.
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
I would agree with some of the earlier comments. There no hallmarks for issued items or maker marks. The absence of either a pinback or clutch posts ever being there, and the presence of that worn hanger loop on top of the crucifix makes it look like a necklace. I would say a religious Trooper has snapped it up as an opportunity item or it could be a curio from a retired Chaplain?

Interesting piece though.
 
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