GM0156
Trench Art' Car Grille badge
An interesting 'trench-art' type car grille badge, measuring 3 ½ inches in height by 2 ½ inches in width, it is made up of a centre disk that has an Iron Cross 1st class encapsulated into a resin disc which is itself fitted into a circular surround. The base then has an oakleaves wreath section made from the base of a WW2 German army cockade with the badge upper section being completed by a large size King’s Crown badge. All of this is then backed by a metal plate, tested as silver - there is a small ‘s’ marked in the lower area which is typical of a jewellers mark for silver - holding everything together, the oakleaves wreath is pinned through to the back plate. The back plate then has a nut and retaining ring to the back. The retaining ring is solid, I cannot budge it, it might ease with some tlc. The Iron Cross appears to be an 1870 period cross. This is a fascinating item that looks to have been something a soldier has crafted with bits readily available during or after the war. A little something different that somebody cared for and maybe had on a vehicle for some time.