What is this item?

[TarponStalker]

I was watching a show last week and saw this guy. What's the brass or silver? thing hanging on his chest ? It's shaped a bit like a capper but not sure they had those type then.
Any ideas?

 

[Notchy Bob]

That is called a “gorget.” These were much used by military officers in the 18th century, and they became a popular item of trade and treaty gifts with the Indians. I believe they were generally made of silver, and frequently nicely embossed or engraved.

I don’t know for sure how they originated, but I always assumed they were a holdover from an earlier time, a form of armor for protecting the throat. By the 18th century, I think they were mainly ornamental, but they might have served as insignia of some sort.

There is a very well-known painting of a Cherokee man named Oconostota, “The Stalking Turkey,” wearing a large, silver gorget. The image is easy to find with a Google search.

Crazy Crow sells them, made from German silver.

Notchy Bob

 

[TarponStalker]

That is called a “gorget.” These were much used by military officers in the 18th century, and they became a popular item of trade and treaty gifts with the Indians. I believe they were generally made of silver, and frequently nicely embossed or engraved.

I don’t know for sure how they originated, but I always assumed they were a holdover from an earlier time, a form of armor for protecting the throat. By the 18th century, I think they were mainly ornamental, but they might have served as insignia of some sort.

Crazy Crow sells them, made from German silver.

Notchy Bob

Thanks Bob.

 

[French Colonial]

Exactly, a Gorget is left over from the days when they wore armor and could have the family crest or for British officers the Lion and Unicorn heraldic crest symbolizing the union of England (lion) and Scotland (unicorn), which this one appears to be, it protected the throat area when wore with armor.

The native Americans would trade for them or receive them as gifts to fancy up their wardrobe.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

They were still used in WWII.

 

[Notchy Bob]

They were still used in WWII.

No foolin’?

I was not aware of that. Who wore them?

Notchy Bob

 

[Thingamajiggy]

No foolin’?

I was not aware of that. Who wore them?

Notchy Bob

Germans, I believe it was part of their MP's uniform.

 

[Rancocas]

I always thought they were a symbol of rank, worn only by officers. ???

 

[snakebit]

Germans, I believe it was part of their MP's uniform.

That's true. They quit wearing them because the OSS would single them out for "friendly questioning" over troop movements and what not since the MPs moved around a bunch. Can't remember where I read that though.

 

[Jay Templin]

They used to be bigger. Circa 1610.
Jay

 

[TobJohn]

Germans, I believe it was part of their MP's uniform.

Some might recognize it from Band of Brothers:

Originally, Gorgets were the part of the armor that protected a soldier's neck (along with a bevor):

Jay's example shows how it evolved to be simpler and further down, which then evolved into the later purely decorative style.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

LD

 

[springfield art]

That is called a “gorget.” These were much used by military officers in the 18th century, and they became a popular item of trade and treaty gifts with the Indians. I believe they were generally made of silver, and frequently nicely embossed or engraved.

I don’t know for sure how they originated, but I always assumed they were a holdover from an earlier time, a form of armor for protecting the throat. By the 18th century, I think they were mainly ornamental, but they might have served as insignia of some sort.

There is a very well-known painting of a Cherokee man named Oconostota, “The Stalking Turkey,” wearing a large, silver gorget. The image is easy to find with a Google search.

Crazy Crow sells them, made from German silver.

Notchy Bob

You're right on the money, Notchy! Re-enactors whose impression allows a gorget really like them! Kind of like 18th Century BLING!

 

[tenngun]

Bling was pretty much all they were by that time. Much like swords today, or red dressed Music.

 

[mushka]

The German military police wore the gorget during the war and the regular soldiers called their MP's the "Kettenhunde" which means chained dogs. Regular soldiers and civilians were terrified of the military police.

 

[TobJohn]

The German military police wore the gorget during the war and the regular soldiers called their MP's the "Kettenhunde" which means chained dogs. Regular soldiers and civilians were terrified of the military police.

In the Wehrmacht and SS, the rear echelon military forces were often some of the most horrific and cruel.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

In the Wehrmacht and SS, the rear echelon military forces were often some of the most horrific and cruel.

Actually it goes WAAAY farther back, when it comes to the German military police. The Jaegers, when they mustered into military companies in the 17th and 18th centuries, had higher pay, and better privileges, AND while they did provide their own arms, they were also employed as "military police". Some Jaeger companies were mounted, military police. They pretty much had the authority as early as the beginning of the 18th century, to enter and search homes, confiscate property, take people into custody who were deserters or accused of aiding deserters (or just fit the description of the deserter..., some of those description were pretty vague back then). "Private men" aka infantry privates housed their muskets when not actually "in the field", and only carried their bayonets, and even if they could get to the muskets, the muskets normally were not kept with the ammunition. Jaegers, however, were always armed with their rifles, and with ammo for their rifles, since they had to custom make the rounds.

LD

 

[Tony Rothrock]

Wearing one makes you the Emperor of the Centauri Empire... (Let's see how many of ya get that joke...)

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Corn Planter - Seneca war chief

 

[Uncle Miltie]

Ancient north Americans also wore gorgets made of slate and mica. The silver ones from Europe were quickly snatched up as prizes when military men were killed.

Larry Chowning used to make fine gorgets of sterling silver he may have passed on. There are others who still make them though. $$$$