If you're a genealogist and work with old photographs, you know the critical rule of turning the photograph over to see what is on the back. When you're photographing memorabilia, the same rule holds true. Turn them over.
When reopening a
box of memorabilia stored in my own treasure box, I found this medal.
To think, I saved this medal all these years and I don't really know
why I was awarded it. I have no memory of it. I knew the band awards
well, but this one doesn't look like a music award. However, I wanted
to showcase that I was more than just a musician in school.
Thankfully, I
turned the medal over and suddenly I remembered it. I was part of an
academic competition that studied the current events of the day and
then took a test on it. I didn't win the competition but I did enjoy
the experience and receive a medal for participating. Turn the award
over!
The same principle
applies to medals, plaques, trophies. Turn them over and see what is
on the side. If you were to take a picture of my college ring, you'd
find my name inside it. If you turn over a pocket watch, you might
find the name of the first owner etched in it. If you turn over the
medals of a WWII Vet, you just might find the name of the award and
perhaps the date it was awarded.
Along the lines of
World War II memorabilia, I have a wonderful picture to include in my
heritage scrapbook about my grandfather.
Imagine my
surprise, when I flipped the bracelet over to see if anything was on
the inside and I found this.
My grandmother had
had her name etched in a bracelet for her young husband as he shipped
off to serve in World War II. The bracelet would serve as a reminder
of her love while he was far from his young bride. To see the name so
well preserved while the other side is scratched and aged from many
years of use, brings a tear to my eye every time I see this picture.
Remember to take
the picture of your artifacts. And then turn them over and see what
you may be missing.
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