LOW MARKET VALUE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 450, 2 January 1934, Page 6

LOW MARKET VALUE

War Medals in Hollywood War medals once held priceless by brave men all over the world, to-day have a market value in Hollywood of less than the proverbial song. A Cx-oix do Guerre, personally bestowed by Marshal Foch on some valorous soldier of the Allied armies, cannot even be given away to the studios. They have enough of them now. This is revealed by Hollywood’s expert on war medals and diplomatic decorations: Gaston Du Val, former Lt.-Col. in the Mexican Cavalry, onetime member of the Mexican diplomatic corps, world-traveller, and recipient at various times of six high orders bestowed by emperors and kings. Du Val is now the associate director of research at the Paramount Studios and is in charge of 1200 medals and decorations, many of which are being used in Paramount’s “The Eagle and the Hawk,’’ a story of war-time aviation. “The French Croix de Guerre, the German Iron Cross, and the many Czarist medals, arc too common to-day to have any values except personal ones,” Du Val declares. “I recently secured from France a shipment of Croix do Guerre, with stars and palms, at the total cost of less than 25 cents each. The holders, clue to hardships, are glad to get rid of them. Another prize is the rare Black Star of France. The only well-known medal we lack is the Victoria Cross. English tradition forbids their sale until after the death of the recipient. They often bring as high as 700 dollars at auction.”

Among the Italian medals owned by Paramount are the Military Valour medal, issued to only 20 soldiers during the War; the War Cross which was given to 300 Americans who served with Italy; the Military Order of Savoy and the Order of the Crown of Italy,