Rings from the USA

[nilles]

Hi Adam,

Thanks for showing your collection.
Something different.

Brgds

Paul

[Jean-Loup]

Very nice collection. Rings are one of my favorite collecting items. I have 3 german ones and one Canadian one myself.

JL

[Mark S.]

Great collection!

Any idea who was making this rings stateside? Jostens, Balfour?

[jeremiahcable]

That is a great and unique collection you have there Adam. The China made Marine's ring really does it for me. Do you polish or do any little repairs to them once they get in? Thanks for sharing!

Jeremiah

[Adam Lewis]

Thanks all for the kind words. I started on ebay in 1998 and acquired most of these before 2004. It's been more and more difficult to find one I want to add to the collection plus prices seem to have jumped up in the last couple of years. I saw a nice gold pilot ring go for over $1,000 not too long ago so maybe my acquisitions have come to an end!

Mark,
The gold rings have maker's marks for Josten (USAAF engineer), Balfour (CCNAS), RMJ (2nd MarDiv, 1975 USMC pilot), SA (old air corps), and 1 with X inside a C (USN rectangle). The others are marked '10K' only.
A few of the silver rings just say 'sterling' but there are several maker's marks including Jacobsen, HJ, J/O in a shield, JV Milligan, CFT and Universal. The 1st Marine division is marked 'silver' only.

Jeremiah,
I clean them to remove any grime. It seems to accumulate in the deep details. The photos just show the contrast between the darkened background and raised details although photographing these has been a challenge. No repairs have been made.

Adam

[MARKH]

Another design

one left in OZ during WW2

[Adam Lewis]

Nice

one left in OZ during WW2

Hi Mark,
Your ring looks good. Thanks for posting the photos.
Adam

[MARKH]

US ring in Sydney

Thanks Adam, I think this ring, like them all, has a story, came into a Sydney auction house from a deceased ladies estate with her other jewellery. Many US forces passed through Oz during the war, they proved popular with the girls, nicer uniforms, hollywood accents etc caused some friction with OZ males, referenced Yanks to "over paid, over sexed and over here!!" The" Battle of Brisbane" was a secret at the time, shots fired, interesting Google read. The ring has been resized down to fit a ladies little pinkie, She must have been one of those fraternizing Sydney girlies, The ring seems to be identical to the one repatriated to a WW2 US vet's family from Germany just recently after it had been traded for food at the end of WW2, I may have to arrange export home for this one too!,
cheers
Mark in Oz

[marcinkappa]

Here is my little find: the very similar ring in construction as yours US rings.

It belonged to German POW and was brought back after the war by the vet.

It has an inscription: German Prisoners of War, Fort Leonard Wood, USA.

[marcinkappa]

More pictures

[marcinkappa]

There is a great book describing Fort Leonard Wood during the war and German POW everyday life in US:

The Enemy Among Us: POW's in Missouri during World War II

[DALE ELLIS]

Nice...you may start another collector craze!

[Lewis Bunker]