Pinking Shears and Ribbons

[VerKuilen Ager]

This topic has come up on one of the other forums and because of the extensive experience with German ribbons that this forum represents I'd like to raise it here. What, if anything, can we make of the use of pinking shears on German ribbons?

For those who didn't have to take home economics in middle school like I did, pinking shears are scissors that cut in a distinct zig-zag pattern and help prevent raveling or fraying. It's not an uncommon cut on the end of ribbons. My question is, was it ever used on imperial era ribbons and can we use a pinking cut as a signal of anything when examining ribbons?

Pinking shears were invented in the U.S in 1893 and my personal suspicion is that you won't find them used on German ribbons until the 1950s. Your opinions based on examination of original items would be welcome.

[Rick Research]

This ought to take off and run...

Thinking about it... with my statistical handicap of collecting/focussing on MOUNTED groups... I'd have to say I've seen a few...

but of course, with LOOSE ribbons, who's to say WHEN?

The only Imperial ones I can recall were what I'd consider 1930s or later replacement ribbons, Hindenburg Cross vintage, artificial material, not silk.

A few Third Reich ribbons I never had any doubts about, but definitely still only a minority compared with "straight cuts."

Musing on 35 years of random acquisitions, my gut feeling is 1930s on, probably.

Maybe.

Possibly.

Bets being shrubberied...

[Rick Research]

Just thought of something pointed out to me by Jeff McCulloh at today's Lowell show:

we OFTEN find unquestionably genuine Imperial period medal bars with the cloth/felt backing's bottom "pinked."

[Bill M]

--Yes, definitely have a few medalbars with the felt backing cut that way...

[Tom Y]

I think if you look closely at the
'pinked backing you'll see slight irregularities and the angle of the teeth is different than your normal shears.