René Lalique 1915: WW1 Brass Medal for French Army Orphanage Society. w/ Ribbon.

René Lalique 1915: WW1 Brass Medal for French Army Orphanage Society. w/ Ribbon. (image 1/[null, null, null, null])
René Lalique 1915: WW1 Brass Medal for French Army Orphanage Society. w/ Ribbon. (image 2/[null, null, null, null])
René Lalique 1915: WW1 Brass Medal for French Army Orphanage Society. w/ Ribbon. (image 3/[null, null, null, null])
René Lalique 1915: WW1 Brass Medal for French Army Orphanage Society. w/ Ribbon. (image 4/[null, null, null, null])
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This is a French WW1 patriotic medal designed and signed by René Lalique in 1915 and sold or given to high value contributors to charities helping the French army's organization of war orphanages. Here is the story:At the height of World War 1, soldiers lived in horrible conditions, best depicted in a film, a few years ago, "A very long engagement" with Audrey Tautou. At the same time, and as the war destruction hardly reached Paris, a brilliant social life never subsided; It caused major anger among the soldiers who, during their leaves, were furious to discover a life "as if nothing happened 100 miles away". The situation was somewhat similar to the perception of the Vietnam war in the US, though the media at that time were fewer and far more censored.The situation gave rise to all kinds of social and charitable enterprises, one of them being the design and sale by René Lalique of jewelry dedicated to support and improve the material condition of soldiers. Various medals (for men) and brooches (for ladies) were created and were given in exchange for money contributed to that cause. The jewels had no price attached to them but were more regarded as a token of appreciation (a sort of "receipt") for generous gifts in money and kind by wealthy patrons. René Lalique already was an esteemed and highly rated artist known for his glassware read more
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