Mounting Campaign Medals

[azure4]

Hello,

I recently purchased replacements ribbons for my grandfather's WW1 campaign medals - British War, Victory and 1914-15 Star. I plan to have them mounted on a brooch bar. Is there a proper order in which they are supposed to be mounted left to right?

Thanks,

Pat

[Andrew Upton]

I recently purchased replacements ribbons for my grandfather's WW1 campaign medals - British War, Victory and 1914-15 Star. I plan to have them mounted on a brooch bar. Is there a proper order in which they are supposed to be mounted left to right?

Yes, they should be mounted to look like this:

http://www.military-research.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/1914-15-star-trio.jpg

Note the 1914-15 Star ribbon should have the red stripe on the left as someone looking at it would see it (ie the wearers right).

[azure4]

Andrew,

Thank you very much for the link. I'm looking forward to having them properly mounted and displayed instead of tossed in a drawer (and missing ribbons) like my Mom did for the past 40 years!

Pat

[azure4]

Hi,

I have a follow up question in regard to my grandfather's medals. I don't know if my grandfather ever polished them but they haven't been touched in the past 40 years. Should I polish them before I have them mounted or leave the patina that is on them? Is it just a matter of personal preference?

Also if I do decide to polish them, is there a recommended method for old medals?

Thanks,

Pat

[simon2]

Personal preference every time, for me I would leave them as they are.

Wherever they have been the patina it has acquired over the years adds depth.

I'm not a lover of garish, shiny medals but a professional mounting can look smart

and tidy. All my families medals are mounted as they were worn by the recipient

or next of kin if they were killed. On one set there is a pen stain on one of the ribbons.

I just think it adds a more human touch so I left them as they are.

[azure4]

Thanks for your input, Simon. My first instinct is to leave them as they are but I was concerned that they might look odd with the brand new replacement ribbons. Unfortunately, the original ribbons were long gone by the time my grandfather passed away. Perhaps I need to look at the patina as part of the history of his medals and not just the "look" of the finished display.

Thanks again,

Pat

[Kitchener's Bugle]

As a collector I agree fully with what Simon2 has said.

If you really wanted to get hold of original silk ribbons then they are very available on that well know auction site!.

KB.

[azure4]

Thanks KB. Being new to all this, I didn't realize that finding original silk ribbons was even a possibility. I took a quick look at the auction site you mentioned and indeed there are ribbons listed. I'll have to give it some thought first.

Thanks again for the info,

Pat

[WilliamRev]

Pat

The link that Andrew gives above shows the medals Court Mounted i.e. held flat with a length of ribbon behind the actual medal. This is now the more common form of mounting although it has been around since Victorian times (stops medals clinking noisily when worn), but many of us prefer the Ordinary Mounting (sorry this example is so tatty ) which was more common in years gone by. I far prefer the Ordinary mounting, and my grandfather's WW1 medals and my father's 1960s and 70s medals are all mounted using the Ordinary mounting, and this was the style used by all men in their particular battalions in time gone by. You might like to research the two styles to see which one you like, or which was customary for your grandfather's medals. Also, if you have some original ribbons (which again I far prefer to modern replacements) you may only have enough length for the Ordinary style.

[Again just my own view, but I would refrain from cleaning them - any kind of cleaning causes tiny amounts of wear and damage, and I prefer the patina of age.]

William

[Edited for spelling!]

[azure4]

William,

Thanks for the examples of medal mounting. I was unaware that there were two different types of mounting. I had only looked at the order of the medals in the picture that Andrew provided and never noticed the ribbon hanging down the back. At first glance, like you, I prefer the look of the ordinary mounting style. Do you know what length of ribbon is typically needed to an ordinary mount? The replacement ribbons that I received are about 6 1/4 inches long. I need to double check what length the original silk ribbons are that I saw on the auction site. I would want to make sure that there would be enough for even an ordinary mount.

Do you think it would be worthwhile to have the missing clasp on the back of my grandfather's Silver War Badge replaced? My intent is to put it in a hanging display case along with his three campaign medals when they are mounted.

I appreciate the additional info and advice you provided.

Pat

[Kitchener's Bugle]

Hello again Pat, there are many companies out there such as this ...... might give you some ideas. (Not that I am promoting this particular one!!!)........There are several in the USA also.

http://www.poppymedalframing.co.uk/

KB

[azure4]

KB,

Many thanks for the link to the framing website. I like the idea that the poppy frames are custom made to house each individual medal and especially that it isn't necessary to send the medals, only order the suitable frame. One of the reasons that I've delayed in having my grandfather's medals mounted and displayed was that I was afraid to risk sending them out anywhere. If I am unable to find a similar framing service locally here in the States, I will definitely keep this company in mind. I plan to check with some local veterans' groups to see if they can recommend a local service for having the ribbons put on the medals once I decide on using the replacement ribbons or trying to obtaining original ones.

Thanks again for the info,

Pat

[gunner100]

Hi Pat,

I don't often get the time to get on the forum but noticed your post and if it helps I do have replacement ribbon made to order for the WW1 Trio and these are the best I have seen as a modern version. The medals require no mounting but are simply placed into the frames.

I do also produce many variants of frame and produce all replicas in house alongside metal nameplates and photograph plates.

Perhaps you have seen the recent WW1 BBC production 'The Crimson Field' -quite nice to say I made the Nurse's cape badges!

kind regards

Peter

Poppy Medal Framing

[Stoppage Drill]

To polish or not ?

Whilst one is usually advised not to polish most metallic objets d'art, in order to retain patina and/or prevent eventual obliteration of detail, it is a fact that soldiers polish medals before wearing them. Medals are not enhanced by patina. For these reasons, I prefer to polish displays; if mounted under glass, they shouldn't need repolishing any more than once or twice a year, so detail obliteration is not a matter of realistic concern.

[trenchtrotter]

I would disagree with the above a silver tones nicely and polished stars can tone down well also. Personal preferenceI suppose.

TT

[Medaler]

I would also disagree, every time you polish the abrasion needed to get the shine removes small amounts of the original metal. The tarnish on silver medals is silver oxide and removing it just allows the air to get to fresh silver which will then oxidise. By removing the silver oxide you are removing silver.

If you are going to clean them - ultrasonic - by a reputable jeweller or medal dealer.

With reference to the OP - If you are framing them for display, do not hang them where thy will get direct sunlight. It not only seems to speed up the tarnishing process but will bleach your new ribbons. To keep tarnish away, a piece of aluminium kitchen foil placed out of sight in the back of the frame will help with silver medals. The inside of the back of the frame is also a good place to store original ribbons, wrapped in acid free tissue.

Cheers,

Mike