Canadian Medal, Medalion, Brooch, or What??

[Johno]

My wife's grandfather was in the war (WW1), apparently as a translator...still trying to confirm this. Due to family issues, not much else is known except her mother had this medal which has some connection to him. Problem is, I've never seen anything like this and I hope some of the researchers here can help us. There was no ribbon but the back of the thing looks like it may have had one there before. It's about 3 inches in diameter. Could this be a cap badge? If so, can anyone help id it? Thanks for any clues or advice you can offer. No jokes here, but he was also a professional clown as was his brother, father, and grandfather. In his obit, it added that he and his brother also performed for the last Czar of Russia when they were 12 and 8 years old respectively. He could speak 5 languages including Russian fluently ..could there be a connection to that?

 

[Kieth-Tx]

What's unique is it has two different ways to attach! Hope this gets solved.

 

[Montana Jim]

I agree that the two attachment thing is interesting.

It looks a little heavy and decorative to be militaria.

 

[High Plains Digger]

My gut says it isn't military at all. No crosses or king's heads. And the two attachment thing made it more functional. Pendant on Mon Tues and Wed, Broach on Sat and Sunday. That is fairly common in 20s jewelry, but where is Breezie on this? She would know.

 

[Breezie]

My gut says it isn't military at all. No crosses or king's heads. And the two attachment thing made it more functional. Pendant on Mon Tues and Wed, Broach on Sat and Sunday. That is fairly common in 20s jewelry, but where is Breezie on this? She would know.

Hey Dollin' . ..did you ring? The double attachment was very popular in the late Victorian era. I have my grandmother's cameo, and the attachments look almost identical to this one. As you said, it could be worn as a pendant or brooch. It also doesn't look like it was made in the good ole USA or GB because it is not thin/stamped brass, but thick and heavy brass. The women of our 'Vickie' era wore more dainty pieces. It has a Russian look to me. Breezie

 

[daroofa]

The trombone clasp was very popular in Europe in the 1890's.

 

[Johno]

My gut says it isn't military at all. No crosses or king's heads. And the two attachment thing made it more functional. Pendant on Mon Tues and Wed, Broach on Sat and Sunday. That is fairly common in 20s jewelry, but where is Breezie on this? She would know.

Hey Dollin' . ..did you ring? The double attachment was very popular in the late Victorian era. I have my grandmother's cameo, and the attachments look almost identical to this one. As you said, it could be worn as a pendant or brooch. It also doesn't look like it was made in the good ole USA or GB because it is not thin/stamped brass, but thick and heavy brass. The women of our 'Vickie' era wore more dainty pieces. It has a Russian look to me. Breezie

Breezie:
You have raised an interesting point with the idea that it is too heavy and looks almost Russian. This guy was my wife's grandfather and as I wrote in the original post, he and his brother were professional clowns (hard to say that with a straight face), and so was their father and his father. Anyway, the two youngsters were taken by their father to Russia where they put on a private performance for the Tzar of Russia (Nicholas 2nd) and his family at the turn of that century. Is it possible that this piece was could have belonged to the Tzar or his wife and they gave it to him for his performance? I almost discounted that part of the family-lore because it seemed far-fetched...now, it might make sense. Any ideas on how to confirm this?

 

[GpSnoopy]

I believe this may be middle eastern in origin. I found images of arabic pendants that had similar design elements.

Arabic Pendants.

 

[Dano Sverige]

Yup...my first thought on seeing the squiggles was "Persian/Arabic. Glad you did the research and not me.

I'd call that "signed,sealed and delivered?

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Yep higher quality trombone clasp. 1890-1940's.