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Oddball Lead M37 Cover Emblem


Brig
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Found this a bit back, unfortunately the wing snapped off in shipping but I was able to get most of my money back. Shame, really. Very crude, ugly emblem, notice the shape of the anchor vs the ones you regularly see on the lead. Very thick, with a retaining 'pin' like those seen on plastic collar emblems. Is this a variation for service, something heavy and bulky for sweethearts, or something homemade?

Broken_Lead_Front.JPG

Broken_Lead_Rear.JPG

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teufelhunde.ret

One thing for sure - its not something to write home about. Looks like someone's feeble attempt at emblem making, but for what purpose? Certainly not for selling... ww2 emblems are far to common for copying. Just food for thought, perhaps it is one of those "theater made" items that comes up in coversation from time to time?

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...amp;#entry47303

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I'd rock that at the Island. probably get busted down, but it would be a riot

 

Hey Brig. What do you suppose would actually happen if you wore that with the appropriate uniform? Realistically, that is. I've often wondered what the sanction would be if a Marine wore an "out of date" ega with their uniform.

 

Steve

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Hey Brig. What do you suppose would actually happen if you wore that with the appropriate uniform? Realistically, that is. I've often wondered what the sanction would be if a Marine wore an "out of date" ega with their uniform.

 

Steve

I've contemplated wearing an M37 on my pith helmet for a day at the range to see if anyone noticed, but figured Parris Island is so political it would be bad news if I got caught. this ugly thing, however, would get me pushed over the firing line during the rapid fire string

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Next time you wear your blues, wear a highly polished set of dress gooneys on them. That would be classic!!

 

Of course, easy for me to say, since I won't have to face the wrath of the entire Marine Corps power structure...

 

Steve

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I never was so bold as to wear the "gooneys" with my uniforms, but more than once I wore the WWII era (m-??) EGA emblems with unfouled anchors on my dress blue collars to the USMC ball and a few weddings. Never to funerals. Sadly, nobody ever noticed. My old Sgt. Maj. bought a set of the service EGAs from me with the intent of wearing them on his Alpha coat, but I never saw him with them on so I'm not sure whether he ever wore them or not.

 

In any case brother Jarhead, I doubt anyone would give you much grief, if they even noticed the EGA wasn't correct. They'd be more concerned with the chipped finish than the actual EGA itself...slap some Em-Nu on there and you'll be good to go with whatever you decide to stick on that pith helmet! haha

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  • 11 months later...

reopening this one upon an additional discovery. I recently acquired a small group of two lead cover emblems, a brass cover emblem, a lead collar and a brass collar, all enlisted WWII M37. one of the lead covers was an intact one of these, only instead of the plastic roller it had an unusual not-quite-normal-army type flower roller. I'm thinking now that these were made as a 'poor man's' lead cover example, perhaps homemade by another Marine to sell cheap. nobody would try to pawn a repro of this model off I don't think, and both pieces I've acquired were far apart and not worth the money it would have taken to cast. any other ideas? I think we can just chalk it off to an ugly period piece

leads1.JPG

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teufelhunde.ret
reopening this one upon an additional discovery. I recently acquired a small group of two lead cover emblems, a brass cover emblem, a lead collar and a brass collar, all enlisted WWII M37. one of the lead covers was an intact one of these, only instead of the plastic roller it had an unusual not-quite-normal-army type flower roller. I'm thinking now that these were made as a 'poor man's' lead cover example, perhaps homemade by another Marine to sell cheap. nobody would try to pawn a repro of this model off I don't think, and both pieces I've acquired were far apart and not worth the money it would have taken to cast. any other ideas? I think we can just chalk it off to an ugly period piece

 

I quite agree with your premise - was tempted to bid, as we seldom see these "Ugly Betty's"... glad to see you got them! s/f Darrell

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I've seen some pretty hoakie junk made up for the movie industry similar to this. They seem easy to get now with the internet, but back in the 50's and 60's a starving movie company may have cast these to save a buck or two. They appear at least that old.

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Schnicklfritz

Note that the pictured examples all contain the same flaw on the anchor fluke as noted by the red arrow, so they are the same source. Hope you don't mind me using your photo Brig, it shows the flaw the best.

post-115-1264395969.jpg

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  • 7 months later...

think it's safe to say I found the matching collar emblems...notice the stabilizing lumps and details...my guess is these were private purchase on an extreme budget...Private pay and such...can't imagine the PX selling something this ugly

lead1.jpg

lead2.jpg

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