Rare Hilborn Hamburger World War II Original US Military Ribbon & Device Display
This rare World War II Hilborn-Hamburger ribbon display, titled “Authentic Ribbon Bars,” includes the actual woven ribbons for all *65* ribbons authorized for wear by American service members and Merchant Mariners as of February 15, 1944. Each piece of authentic ribbon material is wrapped around a rectangular piece of cardboard and glued to the display’s backing. With one exception, these ribbons are of the larger height, ½” tall, that was in use during WWII, not the smaller 3/8” height the US military began using shortly thereafter. The one ribbon that’s a different height is a second China Service Medal ribbon, titled “Provision for New Ribbon,” which was apparently included to show the 3/8” tall size that future U.S. ribbons would be. Almost all the ribbons are the standard 1-3/8” width, but two are considerably wider: the Gold Life Saving Medal – Treasury Department and Silver Life Saving Medal – Treasury Department are 1-7/8” wide by ½” tall.
The display includes all devices – Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Blue Stars; Bronze Oak Leaf; Maltese Cross; Numeral (“8” is the sample on this display); Atlantic Fleet Service; and Wake Island – authorized to be attached to the ribbons or the actual full-size medals that the ribbons represent.
Some of the ribbons are for military service going back to the late 19th Century and many of the original ribbons and devices are rare. One example of a rare ribbon is the one for the Dewey Medal, which was authorized for wear by only 1,848 Navy Sailors and Marines who served on one of seven U.S. Navy ships at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898. The Wake Island Device (the “W” on the display) is an example of a rare device - only 449 Marines and 68 Navy personnel who saw combat at Wake Island were eligible to display “W” on their Navy or Marine Corps Expeditionary Medals, so the original WWII Wake Island “W” device displayed here is very scarce. And the ribbon for the Bailey Medal in the lower left corner? That medal and its ribbon was awarded to one Naval apprentice per year for outstanding seamanship from 1885 to 1917, so there were only 33 awardees.
The wood-framed, glass-enclosed display measures 27-1/2” wide by 21-1/2” tall. The display is in good condition for being 82 years old. There’s a sight water stain on the lower left edge and a piece of the paper backing is slightly torn near the lower right corner. I don’t think these minor apologies detract from the overall display. Before I owned this item, someone had used what appears to be white paint (or perhaps typewriter correction fluid) on the paper backing around five of the ribbons (see photos), perhaps to cover excess glue on the backing board.
OK, now about those *a*s*t*e*r*i*s*k*s* in the first sentence of this description. When this display came into my possession it included a 66th ribbon, the one for the Medal of Honor, as you can see in the upper left corner in several of these photos. Federal statutes prohibit the sale, barter, or trade of the Medal of Honor in any form, including the ribbon. With that in mind, I’ve carefully removed the Medal of Honor ribbon (see pictures), and will not sell, barter, trade, or give it to anyone. To make the display appear complete, I’ll suggest that the winning buyer print a color reproduction of the Medal of Honor ribbon on paper, wrap it around a piece of cardboard, and add it to the display. The ribbon display’s cardboard backing is held in place to the wood frame with small nails, which can be removed easily if you need to get to the front of the display.
I’ve never seen one of these Hilborn-Hamburger displays listed on , but I have seen two for sale at militaria shows over the past 15-20 years. My pricing is comparable to the sale price for those displays.
I’ll carefully package this display in a sturdy, reinforced box. I’ll cover the glass with something sturdy to prevent breakage, and will use as much packing materials as possible to protect it in shipment. Because of the unusual size and extra packaging required, the seller will pay a flat fee of $100. U.S. buyers only - I will not ship this item to non-U.S. addresses. This item is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and if the winning buyer is willing to pick it up from me, I will refund the shipping cost.
Related Items:
Rare Hilborn Hamburger World War II Original US Military Ribbon & Device Display
$1500.00
HILBORN HAMBURGER Uniform Accessories Belt Buckle & Misc. Lot of 4 NEW w/Box
$42.46
