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Question About Lapels vs. Rosettes


Daytonian777
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Daytonian777

Hello everyone!

I have a question which I cannot seem to find the answer anywhere. Were lapel pins always issued with cased medals, or can/were rosettes substituted? Why I ask is because I have seen some medals with rosettes or vice versa. Were rosettes official, or were they private purchase items?

 

If anyone can enlighten me, I would be truly grateful. I am trying to find a lapel pin (button hole) for a DSC, but the only ones that I have found have been later clutch-back examples that may not be appropriate for the earlier issued medal.

 

Thanks in advance for any information!

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  • 9 months later...

I’ll give my opinion based on my experience and observations but may not be gospel truth. As I’ve seen and understand, rosettes were not generally issued save for a few awards. Most are French made buttons for private purchase.
Now while the button hole types were WW2 period, you will find screwback variations that may or may not have been included with the issued award. Army DSC, DSM, and SSM come to mind immediately as well as NC and Navy DSMs. 
In my observations early NASA awards were issued with a rosette as was the AF DSM. 

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I'd meant to respond to this thread for a long while and apologize for the delay; i hope this helps. 

.......

 

Sometimes we're lucky enough to have the information we seek explicitly spelled out in the legislation which establishes the medal. As you can see, this was the case for the rosette/knot - the knot was a small bowtie like device  -  subsequently designed for the Medal of Honor.  Easy enough. Otherwise its a matter of combing thru the legislation, service regulation and specification (and maybe a drawing) and their changes to determine what was appropriate.  I know that there have been several postings here of cased WWI DSCs but can't remember any mentioning a lapel pin that early. I'd bet the ranch that by WWII they existed because literature of the time shows lapel pins for the Legions of Merit and Silver Star. In response to your question about the DSC you have though, i will post a photo of a lapel pin from my collection which probably is of the type you have in mind. I too have wondered when it was produced. 

 

But sometimes we can get other small hints:  For instance the October 1943 National Geographic article by the Chief of the War Department Heraldic section....somebody who should "know something". There we have some interesting tidbits relating to the custom of that era. If i can get this right you'll see. I may have to split this across 2 replies.

 

Apparently the Navy Department was a little more liberal with the use of rosettes. 

 

So i'm gonna hit "post" now and see how this goes. 

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MH legislation is now attached. And since i had a little time, here are two radically different styles of older lapel pins; era unknown. I guess either style might be what you have in mind for your DSC.

 

i've also included a lapel button that i have for a Merchant Marine DSM. 

 

I have seen, here at USMF, photos of an awarded DSM set with a rosette and was a little confused as to which is appropriate; its quite possible though that both are. The National Geographic article shows only the MM DSM lapel button.

 

Best of luck on your quest!

 

 

 

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Very interesting post. I believe that some of the Decorations issued to civilians might have been issued with rosettes and not lapel devices. The Medal For Merit comes to mind. I've never seen anything but a rosette (screwback) issued in conjunction with the medal. Again I very well might be in error, I defer to those more versed in this area. Attached is the example I have.

 

Best wishes to all,

 

Joe

 

 

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Super interesting thread! I've often wondered about this, too, so very interesting! I know rosettes are in France a lot. Always wondered if they were a private purchase thing or not. 

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12 hours ago, jmar said:

Very interesting post. I believe that some of the Decorations issued to civilians might have been issued with rosettes and not lapel devices. The Medal For Merit comes to mind. I've never seen anything but a rosette (screwback) issued in conjunction with the medal. Again I very well might be in error, I defer to those more versed in this area. Attached is the example I have.

 

Best wishes to all,

 

Joe

 

 

Joe, you nailed it 100%. 

 

As a sidestep and for information only, in my country rozettes represent an Officer grade in a Royal order, so only officers in the order can wear them in their lapel. The other grades are represented by a mini ribbon. The higher grades with a rozette with other devices attached. 

 

The emaille lapel pin is something only seen in the US. A rozette and/or a lapel pin on your suit looks a bit of more of the same if it doesn't represent different grades.

 

Regards

Herman 

 

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