MasonK Posted October 13, 2020 Share #1 Posted October 13, 2020 Sorry if this has been posted for discussion, however search of the forum turned up no recent results. Was browsing Facebook Marketplace, and stumbled upon this gem. Doesn't appear to match the original in construction, and looks a bit sloppy. Of course, could be completely mistaken. Seller is asking $2.5 Million. Link to the listing, and description below: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/681733465775277 "This badge is attributed to Sgt. William Brown. Lost in a move in 1924, discovered in a storage unit near where the last person who was known to have it died. It is one of three commissioned by General Washington from the ladies of a town near his final encampment at the end of the American Revolutionary War. It is an amazing piece of history, given out to only enlisted men, and their deeds were written into a special book. The book is lost, and may still be out there, however there are 7 soldiers documented as having received this badge as their records in the Library of Congress show this. Of the three Badges given out personally by General Washington, one was lost in a fire. One was found in the early 1920’s in possession of a grandson of the recipient, and donated to a museum in New York, now know as the Purple Heart Memorial Museum. The third badge shown above, is in a safety deposit box in Exeter. Oddly another badge also exists in the Exeter Museum of Independence. That badge was once thought to have belonged to Sgt. William Brown, however, it did not match the description of Browns badge as documented in a lengthy research paper published in 1942. In that paper they detailed Browns family and the history of the badge they had lost years before. The badge not only matches their description, but as mentioned above, was found not far from where the last person in that family to have that badge died. The badge is purple felt with fine white silk thread. It is flattened, as though having been put in between the pages of a book, so sadly, may been in that persons estate all along. The person I bought it from had bought the contents of a storage unit, i do not know who’s unit, but i do know the town, and it illuminated the probable trail of Sgt. Browns lost badge. The badge was sold in a group if mixed items, the seller made no reference to it at all, when asked after the sale, they told me they thought it was maybe from WW1. They had no idea what it really was. Sgt. Brown was awarded this for leading an assault on a British fortification with a small group of men, he had them go in with unloaded muskets as to not loose the element of surprise, bayonets only. In fifteen minutes he had won his objective despite facing rifle fire and grenades. As you can see, the first Purple Hearts were not awarded for wounds, but for bravery. It was the Medal of Honor of its time. The badges were awarded late in the war, but included actions during any previous enhancement, the badge came about in response to the Continental Congress running short of money for the usual rank increase for such gallant actions. Years ago I had read about these first Purple Hearts, as they were called, so I have watched for one~ and I recognized it right off when I finally saw this. It is 100%, and I endeavor you to research it, as I have, to appreciate what it really is and what an amazing piece of history it is. I am hopeful it will find a good home." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share #2 Posted October 13, 2020 Original issued to Sgt. Elijah Churchill for comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdogchristy90 Posted October 13, 2020 Share #3 Posted October 13, 2020 William Brown’s Badge...American Independence Museum, Exeter, New Hampshire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wake1941 Posted October 13, 2020 Share #4 Posted October 13, 2020 I’m no expert on these but the first one definitely is lacking quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeclown Posted October 13, 2020 Share #5 Posted October 13, 2020 If the one from Exeter is still in the museum then this has to be fake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share #6 Posted October 13, 2020 15 minutes ago, tdogchristy90 said: William Brown’s Badge...American Independence Museum, Exeter, New Hampshire. Thanks for posting this! Seller mentions the example is the American Independence Museum as not being Brown's. The seller's example allegedly matches the description of Brown's badge in an article published in 1942. Was curious if anyone knew of the article he referred to? Also, has there ever been any doubt as to the attribution of Brown's badge? This guy is really going all out to try to pin this as original. "The third badge shown above, is in a safety deposit box in Exeter. Oddly another badge also exists in the Exeter Museum of Independence. That badge was once thought to have belonged to Sgt. William Brown, however, it did not match the description of Browns badge as documented in a lengthy research paper published in 1942. In that paper they detailed Browns family and the history of the badge they had lost years before. The badge not only matches their description, but as mentioned above, was found not far from where the last person in that family to have that badge died." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share #7 Posted October 13, 2020 21 minutes ago, Wake1941 said: I’m no expert on these but the first one definitely is lacking quality. Agreed...I would expect much better quality as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67Rally Posted October 13, 2020 Share #8 Posted October 13, 2020 I am sure that the veracity of the seller's piece is emboldened by selling it through Facebook Marketplace rather than to allow it to be vetted and fully researched by credible historians and sold through an auction house with at least a sliver of a positive reputation. "I for one..." is such a great way to begin a summary of a piece he's asking a mere $2.5M for. There are so many concerns about this piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdogchristy90 Posted October 13, 2020 Share #9 Posted October 13, 2020 There is some question as to wether the badge in Exeter is actually Brown’s... To my knowledge there are three badges, two that still exist, one in New Hampshire (Brown’s), the other in New York (Church’s)...Bissell’s badge was lost in a fire. I would say all badges are accounted for and this is a fake. (I’d give more credit to a museum/historical society over Facebook) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share #10 Posted October 13, 2020 29 minutes ago, 67Rally said: I am sure that the veracity of the seller's piece is emboldened by selling it through Facebook Marketplace rather than to allow it to be vetted and fully researched by credible historians and sold through an auction house with at least a sliver of a positive reputation. "I for one..." is such a great way to begin a summary of a piece he's asking a mere $2.5M for. There are so many concerns about this piece. I dunno, I saw the Mona Lisa for sale on there a few weeks back, and I'm pretty sure it was legit. 😉 In all seriousness, 100% agreed. FB Market Place definitely not the venue to sell your $2.5 million dollar piece of American history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhcoleterracina Posted October 13, 2020 Share #11 Posted October 13, 2020 Provenance, provenance, provenance It came out of a storage locker...I don't know the owner of the locker... I know the city. Well, that confirms it for me. Let me just whip out my checkbook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMariner Posted October 16, 2020 Share #12 Posted October 16, 2020 That this does not even look remotely like a 250 wish year old item in any way shape or form! I would be hard pressed to say it is 100 years old let alone closer to 250! 100% fake. If this had any value or was remotely real one of the big fish auction houses would have been all over it in seconds! I can't imagine the price an actual real one would bring on the market the sky is the limit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted October 16, 2020 Share #13 Posted October 16, 2020 This gets an official "Hahahahahahahahaaaa" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share #14 Posted October 16, 2020 5 hours ago, Dave said: This gets an official "Hahahahahahahahaaaa" So, you're saying you wouldn't add this as part of an addendum to your book?! 😆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share #15 Posted October 16, 2020 12 hours ago, TheMariner said: That this does not even look remotely like a 250 wish year old item in any way shape or form! I would be hard pressed to say it is 100 years old let alone closer to 250! 100% fake. If this had any value or was remotely real one of the big fish auction houses would have been all over it in seconds! I can't imagine the price an actual real one would bring on the market the sky is the limit! I wondered if he was way off or close on his asking price (if it were original). I wouldn't even know what to compare it to to get a comp for what it would sell for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtA Posted October 16, 2020 Share #16 Posted October 16, 2020 Here's a 100% original from my collection. Has # "4" on the rim. I'd let it go for half the other guy's asking price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMariner Posted October 17, 2020 Share #17 Posted October 17, 2020 7 hours ago, MasonK said: I wondered if he was way off or close on his asking price (if it were original). I wouldn't even know what to compare it to to get a comp for what it would sell for. Really impossible to even put a price on depends on home many people with "unlimited funds" are gunning for it! Since it would be the only one on the private market I think that the sky is the limit! That one is garbage though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin_Militaria Posted October 18, 2020 Share #18 Posted October 18, 2020 So obviously every major auction house turned him down and since you can't sell a "Purple Heart" on eBay, his last resort is Facebook Marketplace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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