Posted 8 years ago
Militarist
(294 items)
Un-cataloged Wisconsin Badge
As many may know, in my Wisconsin book I cataloged the Wisconsin Civil War veterans badges by design type rather than units. Since these are all privately made anything is possible and I always knew my listing would never be complete. Here is a major design type that I have not seen before. I would catalog this badge as number 93.5 in my book for those who are keeping updates.
17th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Co. K. Shield suspended from an Arrow Brooch. The shield and brooch is copper nickel plated bronze and the arrow is 34.5mm wide. The Arrow is the Corps badge of the 17th Corps. The 17th Volunteers was a Madison Wisconsin unit that served from March 1862-July 1865. The 17th took part in 16 engagements and suffered a 16.4% casualty rate.
Neat badge! Glad you found something new.
I have always liked the 17th Corps badges-- have several shown in muster out photos (cdvs of Iowa soldiers).
The shield style is often found in War era badges as well as these post war reunion type badges (in general, NOT specific to Wisconsin).
scott
Thanks Scott, I believe this type of badge without the Civil War dates was made while the war was still going on. The post war versions have the war dates. The earlier undated types command higher prices. I was first taught this difference many years ago by an old time Civil War collector who owned an antique mall in Berlin, Wisconsin and dealt in CW stuff. Have you ever heard of this angle?
I wouldn't consider that to be definitive. Obviously, one with war dates would certainly allow one to ascertain that it was made post war.
The style of the writing and the back pin (replacement maybe?) are what made me think post CW.
scott
The pin is sturdier than most of that era. your guess is as good as mine.
The double loop turn to get spring in the pin is not Civil War era.
scott
Now that you mention it Scott, I have never seen any Civil War badges with the coiled wire pin and catch except for the veterans badges, both with and without dates. Any idea as to when the coiled wire pin was first used on badges? That would be great if it can be pinned down, pardon the pun. All I know is that the safety pin was patented in 1849 and it is not much of a stretch to apply that to a badge which I have seen more than a few examples of as repairs or maybe even as locally manufactured.
I don't know the dates. My observations are the same as yours. I have never seen that pin on a war era badge-- unless it was a later replacement.
scott
I have done a ton of research on the 17th, because my husbands 4th great uncles were in the 17th - company k! They were the schoepkes. Please contact me if you wish to talk about this or the badge. Do you own it? Or just found it somewhere? Is it something I can see in a museum?
Hi Brkiri Wisconsin Civil War records are on line so you can look up the names and get the basic military records. I purchased the badge in an antique mall in Minocqua
a number of years ago. These badges are expensive and similar types exist up until the First World War. These types of badges are private purchase items and and not govt. issued. Good luck.