Saturday, September 10, 2011

Fleur de lis adorned World War II Medal

I love the old copper medals that were awarded in World War II to soldiers all over the world. This one is over 60 years old.  I've used the dial of a pocket watch, a brass ox filigree, and a tiny brass French Fleur de lis to accent the front.

Here is a little about the fleur de lis.  While  it has appeared on countless European coats of arms and flags over the centuries, it is particularly associated with the French monarchy in a historical context, and continues to appear in the arms of the King of Spain and the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, members of the House of Bourbon. It remains an enduring symbol of France that appears on French postage stamps, although it has never been adopted officially by any of the French republics. According to French historian Georges Duby, the three leaves represent the medieval social classes: those who worked, those who fought and those who prayed. 


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