U.S. Maritime Commission Cadre /U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Office cap badge (Type 1)One piece construction. Seal, 25mm diameter; Anchor, 50mm length.Obscured AE CO N.Y. hallmark (American Emblem Company)Anchor and device stamped brass; blue enamel band and red, white & blue shield.Early Second World War era; 1942. This is the first design of the […]
Category: “cap device”
U.S. Navy Technician
USN Technician hat badge & miniature device. Cast brass; motto: U.S. TECHNICIAN. 1 screw, 1 non-rotating point. 37mm x 48mm (LxH). manu: Officer’s Equipment Co. Madison, NJ. mini device: 15mm x 19mm. Circa 1950. Joseph Tonelli’s book, Visor hats of the United States Armed Forces: 1930-1950 illustrates one of the most exquisite pieces of headgear worn by […]
War Shipping Administration Ship Pilot
War Shipping Administration War Shipping Administration Ship Pilot cap badgeTwo piece construction; 60mm (l) x 55mm (h).No hallmarks.Eagle and shield gold-filled; anchors gold-filled.Circa Second World War era; 1943-45. Logistics and control of the supply chain is a perennial thorn in the side of military planners. In the interwar period, the U.S.’s sea-borne commerce was handled […]
Fakes and Fantasies, and Merchant Marine Insignia
For a collector of period items, there is nothing more vexing than a fake offered as an original, vintage item. The higher the rarity, the greater the amount of “fakes” circulate. Although the field of collecting merchant marine insignia is small and insignia is relatively undocumented, spurious items often appear with incorrect attribution. Exploiting this […]
U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Officer
U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Office cap badge (Type 2a – Variant 1)One-piece construction. Seal, 25mm diameter; Anchor, 50mm length.A. E. Co. (American Emblem Company, Utica, New York) hallmark.Anchor and device stamped nickel; red enamel band and shield.Circa 1942. This is the first example of the second design of the USMS CPO hat badge; the […]
U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Officer
U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Office hat badge (1st design, 2nd pattern) One piece construction. Seal, 25mm diameter; Anchor, 50mm length. Obscured AE CO N.Y. hallmark (American Emblem Company). Anchor and device stamped nickel; blue enamel band and red, white & blue shield. This is the second pattern of the first design of the USMS […]
U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Officer
U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Office cap badge (Type 2 – Variant 2) One piece construction. Seal, 25mm diameter; Anchor, 50mm length. Coro (Cohn & Rosenberger) hallmark. Anchor and device stamped brass, sterling plated (marked); red enamel band and shield. Mid-to-post Second World War era; 1942-1947. This is the second design of the USMS CPO […]
Becoming a Kings Pointer
Midshipman cap badge. U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY. Single piece construction. Hallmark, V-21-N (Vanguard Industries). Circa 2006. This is the first in a series of articles where I explore the culture of the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy Regiment of Midshipmen. This first post focuses on the process of a Midshipman Candidate […]
British Tanker Co.
British Tanker Co.Officer hat badgeMetal, gold wire, silk and colored thread on wool backing.Circa 1940s. Lately there has been an increased number of television commercials urging tourists to flock to vacations on the Gulf Coast – all of which are sponsored by British Petroleum. This brings to mind that last year I presented a British […]