I bought it, now what is it? WWI sweetheart piece, but whose?

It's an enameled black maltese cross in a gold-filled wreath thingie. The dates in the enamel are 1914-1915, so it's European or maybe Aussie. My guess is English, but I'm not even sure of that.

 

Not sure but here is one similar

LINK

 

It represents a German Iron Cross. Not likely to be British.

 

Those are German crosses...always..... correct Davey?
~
My Dad flipped out when I came home with one on a necklace when these were the rage for surfers as one board company used it for their logo.
I did not know better then.

 

Aha. Imperial German pieces are OK to handle, and no one screams if you sell them. The cross is a Maltese cross; the Germans swiped it the same way everyone else has since time immemorial. Add a few baubles on the sides and you have a Crusader or Jerusalem cross.

 

What are the years below?
1914-1915?
I think it is medal of merrit for certain mission or certain front, since its inside laurel.

 

It's about an inch across, all told, so if so it's a miniature version made for a wife/mother. The dates say 1914-1915. I'm figuring it's a copy of the participation medal that side gave out. The Aussies and Americans had one. My cousin has my grandfather's US edition.

 

Not necessarily sweetheart. My husband has miniature medals he wears on his dress uniforms. Maybe the Germans wore full size on all uniforms, but maybe they had miniature ones for dress uniforms, too.

 

Might have. I suppose. The do make miniature modern copies.

 

WWII germans loved miniature marks and insignia. I've seen some good photos where you could make out the medals.

 

Thankfully this is Imperial; the Nazi stuff makes my skin crawl. They and the Brits sure did love their medals. Some of those minis were meant to be worn in civilian clothes afterward.

 

We can wear minis now but it's a relatively recent allowance.

 

You could always wear a mini kilt, but that doesn't mean you ought to.

 

YIPES!!!

 

They get a little drafty this time a year.

 

I suspect.....but not doing the research thank you...

 

Ohhhh....so wrong !!!

 

Ohhhh, so right !!!