Periods behind the "U" and "S" in WW1 wings- what's the deal?

[blind pew]

I was looking at Jessop wing examples on the site and was curious about the periods after the "U" and the "S" on the shield. Looking at my collection of wings, I noticed two other types of wings that have periods after the "U" and the "S", just like Jessop. 

 

One wonders why the periods in these wings rather than just "US" like everybody else. I will get some photos of the two other wings uploaded later today. Were they from the same geographic region where this practice would be considered the "norm"? Was that type of treatment dictated by the buyers of the wings specially? Were those wings made by jewelers who made other items in which the periods after each letter was the routine and expected on other items? Did they get the "US" from another maker separately which happened to have the periods?

 

Why go to extra work of adding those periods when you didn't need to do so?

[5thwingmarty]

One advantage I can see with the periods is the entire U.S. can be made as one die-struck piece, and when then attached to the base wing it might be easier to get the U and the S mounted evenly.  Many of the separately applied letters on other wings look to have been completely hand made, which would have taken more time for the jeweler to do rather than just stamping the letters out.  Hopefully others with actual knowledge of making such jewelry will weigh in.

 

Marty

[cwnorma]

4 hours ago, 5thwingmarty said:

One advantage I can see with the periods is the entire U.S. can be made as one die-struck piece, and when then attached to the base wing it might be easier to get the U and the S mounted evenly.  Many of the separately applied letters on other wings look to have been completely hand made, which would have taken more time for the jeweler to do rather than just stamping the letters out...

 

Marty @5thwingmarty is correct.  I think too; much of it is attributable to artistic choice on the part of the maker.  Some makers (and aviators!) must have thought it just looked better with versus without.   Periods could also be a pragmatic matter of what the maker had ready access to.  Many other sweetheart and collar insignias incorporated a small "U.S." The maker may have had a US die on hand with periods and the driving factor might have been the opportunity cost of not having to cut another die.  

 

There are also a few embroidered badges that exhibit periods:

 

 

 

[Remark]

When you look at collar disks from WW1 there is no consistency when they use periods.  Sometimes they use 1, sometimes 2, sometimes none.  This not only on US disks, but State disks and training program disks from the period.