Mini Lapel Pour le Merite

[regular122]

Brian,

The piece type has not been traced yet to a manufacturer or a wearer so will indeed be subject to question. In my investigations, I have seen a 15mm version of this style with a maker but I am still uncertain about it and researching it further.

Two stickpins have surfaced that I am aware of in addition to the one Stephen shows on page 317 of Prussian Blue. I show them below. None are identified that I know of. In the pic below, any chance we may have had to trace to a wearer, came close with the cased version illustrated below in my opinion.

The lower left example is from Barry Turk's site. The type arrangement is not suspect as the button and ribbon style have appeared on known examples. Marked Godets have surfaced with non wire ribbon, so that is also possible.

My 9mm mini is the same exact style as Barry's. It is also the same as the stickpin version but with the added eyelet hole on the top ray arm and minus pin.

Unlike the Spanish fake flat wing, this 9mm mini has not surfaced in large numbers at all and all appear to be gold. Being so small, they could afford to be I suppose. I know metal content is no guarantee of originality.

Brian, I would not call these cheap at all. The gold and enamel argues against that. Period? I believe so. Doodads? Perhaps. But button hole devices for high awards are known to have stickpin examples. Not sure why the PlM would be an exception. All these devices were private manufacturings suited to the taste of the wearer.

These are not common. I am not ready to throw them out for consideration and neither are several others. But I invite the comment as usual.

MinPlM (Do you have a first name?) I hope this answers some questions for you. Steve

[MINIPLM]

My name is Thomas, and I appreciate any and all infos that is offered in good faith.
I dont expect it to be 100% accurate, but putting together folks that study this genre has to be good.
Ive accepted that my gold mini is original (thank you Barry and Reg122), and that my silver one is of
questionable status. I would like to see other silver ones to compare with before I decide for myself.

On to the mini-minis...

Heres the scan of the 15.5mm that I once had in hand... (sorry not 9mm as I said earlier)
Which means it would just fit inside an US penny's circumference.
Sorry one picture, however the other side is also enameled and not just one sided.

What bothered me about it was its light construction, very shiny, wavey edges when viewed on edge,
and the small translucent velum envelop that it came with was so very new looking (said to be orig too).
Being gunshy, at the time I declined the opportunity.



Was a fool to let it go, or lucky to let it go?

"You make the call"

[regular122]

Thomas,

I have seen a couple of these and honestly don't know what to make of it. On the plus side, it has a very narrow center. Many fakes do not.

However, I have seen this type on a suspect button marked Godet. The button was silver while the piece is gold. An odd and unlikely match up. Plus, the button had pocked casting bubbles on the reverse. A good mini with bogus button? Maybe but it caused me to reject the piece altogether when offered.

I am still trying to find evidence of this type but cannot. The closest style I have seen to this one is Hans Walter's mini but I cannot get a close enough picture of it to be certain. Steve

[MINIPLM]

Have you ever seen any mini with a chain link affixed (welded/soldered) to
the top as the suspension arch before?

It didnt look like any frock or chain hung mini that Ive seen on Inet before.

This and that it didnt have the heft of gold really put me off.
But then again, Im a newb to medals and was without you guys as backup.

I might be able to get it back, but Id have to eat crow and be lucky.
If its of value, now would be the time to let me know.

S! (salute in my parlance)

[Biro]

..In the pic below, any chance we may have had to trace to a (9mm) wearer, came close with the cased version illustrated below in my opinion.... Steve

Sorry, but I don't beleive for one minute that case and that 9mm stick-pin belong together - the usual scenario...

Not only is it ill-fitting, but you can clearly see where the original and correct pin - whatever it was - left an indentation that was much longer than the trinket now inside it!

I'm firmly with Brain - fakes or cheap period doodads...

Nice case though!

Marshall

[Brian S]

Godet buttons are very nice. Elaborately marked on the back with name and address. They came mounted with the most elaborate of minis such as my grandfather's or as simple as many common awards. That makes the Godet button fairly easy to obtain. Don't be fooled by the original Godet buttons and a mini that does not match the known examples.

I'll give Stephen all the credit in the world for searching and researching for all the various types of PlM possiblities but beyond the known owned by vet examples, they are all very very suspect. And very easy to manufacture at this tiny example.

My grandfather was also prone to just wear his button and ribbon only without the hanging PlM mini. I think honestly modesty was the rule not the exception. In the 20's and into the 30's these were elder gentlemen. They for the most part
had a retirement home by then and were well known in their community. A simple button with the ribbon pretty much said it all. Stickpins and badly manufactured minis just didn't fit this reality.

[Brian S]

Sorry, but I don't beleive for one minute that case and that 9mm stick-pin belong together - the usual scenario...

Not only is it ill-fitting, but you can clearly see where the original and correct pin - whatever it was - left an indentation that was much longer than the trinket now inside it!

I'm firmly with Brain - fakes or cheap period doodads...

Nice case though!

Marshall

Good eye Marshall. My grandfather had a stickpin with a pearl that would fit this case perfectly. I have the tie stickpin, the case would be a great fit.

[regular122]

I agree, good eye Marshall. That solves the case thing. But I am not going to rule out further study of this type.

Brian, you are correct on the modesty part as the known oaks wearers often just had the oaks devices on a ribbon without the award.

Still, we have seen lots of EKs with unknown makers. The Schickle PlM was once thought to be a fraud until it appeared in a catalogue. The PlM mini was ruled out as ever being on a standard medal ribbon like an EK until that too appeared in a catalogue. Because of that, it will remain in my undecided category. Steve