1931 Paris Exposition Stick Pins?

[Moon Mandrake]

Hello! Nice to meet you all. I have what I think are 2 stickpins from the Paris Exposition/World Fair? Not sure. The Mister picked these up at a Paris flea market 20, maybe even 30 years ago. Thanks in advance for your help! P.S. Measures about 1 1/4 inch in diameter. Says "Paris 1931" on top if that is not clear.

[Jon D Scarborough]

I have some pretty long experience with stickpins, have amassed about 300 or so and these appear to be lapel pins not stickpins for ties. There was a "Paris Exposition " in 1900 but I am not sure about 1931. It is obvious they commemorate something though because of the tricolor ribbon

[Moon Mandrake]

Thank you for correcting me on the lapel pins! I do wish I could find out what they were for. Have a great day!

 

[tomsantiquesetcetera]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Colonial_Exposition

[tomsantiquesetcetera]

What's on the other side?

Briefly reading about the Expo, different countries had their own buildings, shaped like a common building found in that country. Inside the building displays and merchants, sales people, etc. sold or gave things made in their country.

In searching I searched for camels and elephants and the only one, besides the Zoo, was Cameroon, North Africa. You can ride a camel and see wild elephants...So I believe you have a souvenir from the Cameroon Building, handed out to visitors.

Some other souvenirs of the fair sell for $19.00 to $49.00 (USD). 8,000,000 people visited the Expo, so there could be other souvenirs "around", but I couldn't find any.

I didn't find your stick pin or lapel pin or hat pin.

If you Google 1931 Paris Colonial Exposition, use the word Colonial as I have. Then read whatever you want.

Is there anything on the other side of the pin?

[Moon Mandrake]

Thanks so much, Tom, it's really sweet of you to find this info!

The other side of the pin just shows the imprint of what's on the front, it's very thin.

 

[tomsantiquesetcetera]

Sometimes the foundry that makes the pin, especially if Union Made, will put that information on the edge of the pin..it is very, very small. Might look for it, maybe under the ribbon.

[Moon Mandrake]

No, I'm afraid I don't see anything like that...