Two Badges, I.D help please

[bootstrap vinn]

Hi everyone,I found these two badges at an old park last fall.I was looking at the contents of a cashew can that I had been throwing wheats,costume jewelry and trinkets found last year in and these were in it.Kinda forgot about them and was hoping someone could help with I.D..Were they just kids toy badges that came with early cap pistol sets or are they real badges? Do they have any value?They appear to be stamped brass plates and the back appears to be filled with either pot metal or lead.They are slightly different in shape but approximately the same size. The one on the left has an inscription on it that says J. Bachelder & co. around the top edge and just below that it has a star with an arrow pointing at it from both sides and below that says makers and across the bottom it says Bangor Maine.I take this to read "J. Bachelder and Co. Star makers Bangor
Maine."The one on the right has nothing at all written on it but appears to have been silver plated at one time.I tried to research that company but could find nothing on it on-line.I would be grateful for any help you could give me.Thanks and HH to all, Bootstrap

 

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[bootstrap vinn]

Thanks Mack but it's definitely a "B". Bootstrap

 

[Montauk]

Jonathan Bachelder Trunk Maker. Entry from the 1859 Bangor, Brewer and Penobscot County Directory. Perhaps these are manufacturers plates that were crimped onto a trunk. Seems plausible.


Link removed at posters Request to Correct forum size

 

[Mackaydon]

Bootstrap:
I now agree and will delete my comment.
Thanks.

 

[vayank54]

They look like shields you might see on a saddle or horse harness. Brass face and lead filled I think they would date mid 1800's or so.

 

[bootstrap vinn]

Thanks montauk,I will check out that company in a little more detail if possible.Although I have to say that trunk tags really don't sit right with me,it is a possibility.Thanks Vayank54 your time frame seems spot on to me.As far as shields on a horse saddle goes I think too that this may be correct as the hooks on the back are fairly heavy and appear to be spaced apart about the right distance to be mounted to a leather saddle strap.My thoughts are that this having been a fairly large park in its heyday with up to 10,000 guests in a weekend,that there would have been a need for a security force of some sort and that they may be from a private security company.Perhaps they were lost in a scuffle with an unruly patron.This is of course purely conjecture and I would still like a positive I.D. if anyone out there has seen these and knows for sure what the purpose of these would have been.Thanks again, Bootstrap

 

[bootstrap vinn]

Hello,thanks to a link sent to me by Montauk I found out that Jonathan Bachelder was not only listed as a trunk maker but also a harness maker in business at 129 exchange st. in Bangor Maine in 1859.This still doesn't answer my question as to exactly what these are but it does give me a little further insight.Thanks and HH, Bootstrap