License plate general stars ...?

[stuka f]

hello all,

found these metal stars in a house clearing.
The smaller one's (8 cm) seemed familiar.
Could they be general stars to be put on a licence plate?
Does anyone know any regulations concerning those stars during the war.
Thanks for your (any!) help.

[Watchdog]

Yes I believe these are the type of stars used on the "Star plate" of a vehicle to indicate the "equivalent rank of the occupant. EG One star for a Brigadier or equivalent, two stars for a Maj Gen or equivalent and so on. Conventionally the plate is red and has enough holes to accomodate the appropriate number of stars from one to five.

The modern stars (I have some somewhere, I will dig them out) are solid (British ones anyway) and chrome plated rather than hollow backed, the larger ones you have seem to be about the same size as current ones.

I am not sure about the period of yours mainly because;

1. These things tend not to change much and are usually subject to a multi-national agreement (STANAG etc).

2. Having said that they are not actually "war fighting" items so they might vary slightly with manufacturers and contracts.

They would best display on a red vehicle plate of the correct dimensions.

Regards

Mark

[stuka f]

Hey Mark,

thanks for your elaborated answer.
I was indeed wondering who or where they where manufactured. Where they locally made ...was there any regulations to make them etc...

[Watchdog]

I think there will be a STANNAG that sets out a specification but most likely each country would have issued their own contracts to a contractor. It has happened in NATO that several nations have used the same contractor or have obtained items through one nation. This has certainly been true of ammunition.

However, in most cases you would need to find a national designation or part number and these look unmarked. I can't even say for instance that these are not British because over time even items made by the same manufacturer will change year on year.

What we need here is someone who actually recognises the pattern. Otherwise the best we can say is that they are western military, possibly wartime but likely post war NATO items.

Also, I forgot to say that the plate is red for army, dark blue for navy and light blue for airforce to be strict but often all default to red.

Regards

Mark
PS If I had to choose I would say the small ones look like wartime and the large ones look like NATO style

[stuka f]

Thanks Mark.
Regarding your PS; I agree, it is also my feeling regarding the smaller ones.

[AZPhil]

Very Cool Kris. Putting those on a plate and driving on to a base sure would make those boy's Pop To when they see the stars.
just a pic from on line.


Is it possible that someone of that rank stayed in the house you cleaned out during the war????

Semper Fi
Phil

[stuka f]

Very Cool Kris. Putting those on a plate and driving on to a base sure would make those boy's Pop To when they see the stars.


Semper Fi
Phil

Hey Phil,
been thinking of that too! ;-)
I might duplicate them in polyester.

- - ------- - -

...

Is it possible that someone of that rank stayed in the house you cleaned out during the war????

Semper Fi
Phil

Story got lost...!?

[stuka f]

I have been doing some research too, and here is what I came with.
A plate with "provenance";
2 Stars General Military Jeep License Plate | Chairish

[stuka f]

And a militaria dealer in Holland, seems to had a pair of stars too.

But I can't access to my files at the moment...and my dog wants food...(!)
I'll post the pic's later.

[stuka f]

Here they are;