The following is taken from a collectors' society newsletter to which Dr. Paul Rich belongs.

Longtime Past OMSA Ribbon Bank Chairman Steve Haskin, posed several ribbon-related questions to three well-known ribbon collectors. The collectors were asked why they collect ribbon, what ribbon should be collected, how do they display them, where to find ribbon, and how to care for ribbon. Here is what the experts had to say.

Longtime OMSA member Lonny Borts: "The ribbon, although considered by some as merely a part of the overall medal, represents a fascinating and rewarding vehicle for studying the military and social history of mankind from the middle ages to the present. In addition, the ribbon shares the medal's embodiment of the gallantry, meritorious acts and general service associated with historical events under both wartime and peacetime conditions. Besides its historical value, the ribbon provides an economical alternative for the enthusiast operating on a limited budget. Typically, standard items, even those over 100 years old, can be obtained for a reasonable sum. On the other hand, the rarest medals or orders of knighthood can represent outlays in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The true appreciation of the ribbon lies in its expression of heraldry and the infinite number of varieties available. While a relative handful of medal planchet types exist (e.g.: cross, circle, rays, regular polygon, etc.) the potential number of ribbon sizes, stripe widths and color combinations is virtually limitless."

OMSA Ribbon Bank Chairman, John Royston: "The decision to specialize in collecting ribbons seems to result from some combination of two major concerns: I like them and the availability and economy of collecting them. The "I like them" is maybe most important and it speaks for itself. Availability and economy have a number of aspects. First, many awards have limited availability. The Specially Meritorious Medal was awarded less than one hundred times, but its bright red ribbon can readily be located for a collection. Second, many awards appear only as ribbon bars or, in the case of some state awards, appear only as a miniature medal but are represented by a full size ribbon bar on a uniform. U.S. full size medals are worn infrequently while ribbon bars are worn on a more regular basis, make them much more available. Last, ribbon is less expensive than the full size or miniature medal. In the case of the Specially Meritorious Medal, the medal could cost over six thousand dollars while the ribbon is available for around a dollar. Another economy is space as less space is required to display a ribbon collection."

United Kingdom OMRS member Mike Shepherd: "To quote Jeff Floyd, "Some people are collectors and if they are it may be stamps, coins, medals or something else." Seeing ribbons on uniforms is often the first contact with ribbons and medals and provides the first stimulus for a budding collector. The comparatively lower cost of ribbons, as opposed to Medals and Decorations, and the fairly wide availability of many ribbons enables the gathering of a reasonable and wide ranging collection. This stimulates interest and promotes a broader view of the subject than would perhaps be likely from just one or two medals or groups. This broadened scope fosters an appreciation of the award structure of the country being "collected". Studying the nature and purpose of awards serves to put into better perspective the all important relationship between people, their achievements and their awards. In this context, ribbons provide the visible connection between all these elements. It is also pertinent that for some countries, the ribbon often constitutes the complete award, as there is no associated medal. In short, you can get a lot more for your money by collecting ribbons."

Lonny Borts: "Although I collect ribbons from around the world, my field of choice is U.S. ribbon. A measure of the ribbon's importance can readily be seen in the fact that the United States has authorized the wear of 65 such awards since the early days of World War II (23 unit citations, 34 "ribbon-only" awards, 5 marksmanship ribbons and 3 foreign service awards). This leads to the fascinating conclusion that no display of United States awards is complete without the ribbons but a complete exhibit of U.S. awards can be presented through their ribbons without displaying a single medal.

John Royston: "The decision to limit or define an area of collection is highly personalized and usually develops over time. It is not uncommon to amass a large number of ribbons before a decision is made to specialize in a specific category. There are endless possibilities. Even within a specific category, such as a country, many other sub-categories exist. Using the U.S. as an example, one could specialize in Federal military, Federal civilian, fifty individual states, a half dozen districts, territories, or possessions, ROTC (Air Force, Army, Navy, or Marines), society or fraternal groups, local agencies such as police or fire departments, and on and on. One could collect by topic, such as valor awards, ribbons for a certain conflict, lifesaving awards, and many other topic areas."

Mike Shepherd: "As in stamp or coin collecting, ribbon collectors may opt to gather lots of ribbons in a general collection or to concentrate on country/type/theme specific material. The collector may graduate from general collecting to specific collecting, or vice versa, as the focus of interest shifts. The choice of what to collect will depend to a large extent on the collectors personality, the extent and depth of research they wish to pursue and, inevitably, upon the availability of affordable ribbons and reference material. Common service ribbons from ones home country provide the starting point for most of us."

Lonny Borts: "The matter of display space also mitigates in favor of the ribbon. An entire collection of U.S. ribbons, for example, including first versions, manufacturing errors, variants, streamers and every possible device can be housed in six, standard 3-inch loose-leaf binders which takes up no more than 18 inches of valuable shelf space. Conversely, a medal display of just a single item like the Air Medal, with all of its device variations (oak leaf clusters, various numerals, bronze star and letter "V") can potentially take up an entire wall. There is also a maneuverability factor in ribbon collection management. Since ribbons can be mounted in small binders rather than large wall charts or cumbersome cabinets, it is comparatively easy to reorganize entire sections as new items are acquired, award precedence changes or when new devices are authorized. The knowledgeable collector can also leave a space on a page for a wanted item without creating an unsightly gap in the display."

John Royston: "My personal preference is to display the standard-sized ribbon bars. I mount them in glass-fronted, 12" by 16" black, hardboard display cases. The format I use allows for the display of seventy-seven ribbons per case. Of course, minor changes in display format would permit the display of either more or less bars in the case."

Mike Shepherd: "When it comes to display of ribbons I favor a system of mounting ribbons in slots on a card. This system enables the mounting and storing of hundreds of ribbons without creating undue bulk, an important factor for those favoring ribbon bars or those with very large collections. This method allows the mounting of ribbons of all sizes, such as a suspension ribbons, embroidered ribbons, or small pieces of ribbons, since many examples of old ribbons become available only in pieces which are too small to mount on ribbon bars. The medal provides a stable layout of ribbons and allows changes to layouts, without having to use adhesives, which would damage the ribbon. It also provides a pleasing, colorful, and comprehensive, yet simple, presentation of the material without which interest in a collection may well falter and die."
 

Lonny Borts: "Ribbons can be purchased from dealers, military suppliers, and other collectors. Military personnel are often a good source. My favorite collecting method is trading with my ribbon collector friends."

John Royston: "There seems to be two approaches for finding ribbons: hunt them and order them. If hunting is your preference, military surplus shops, antique and collectible shops, flea markets, gun shows and militaria shows are the best areas for finding ribbons. If ordering is your preference, there are numerous dealers that have listings or catalogs available to order ribbons.

Mike Shepherd: "Finding a reliable supply of ribbons, especially those "once in a lifetime" rarities, is the eternal pursuit for ribbon collectors. By far the best strategy for addressing this problem successfully is to promote and actively support mutual interest groups so that ribbon sources may be sought and identified by the widely distributed members who share the information for the good of the whole group. Added to which are: Personal trading and swapping within the interest group; Boot fairs, military fairs, swap meets, and militaria dealers; Contact with manufacturers/retailers of military equipment; Last, but by no means least, the OMSA Ribbon bank." Ribbon Bank Manager's note: "Thanks for the plug, Mike!"

Lonny Borts: "Never expose ribbons to sunlight. Never wash your ribbons. Use the same care you would use for any fine fabric."

John Royston: "The major enemies of a ribbon collection are the same as those associated with any other cloth item. Most ribbons are made from brightly dyed silk or synthetic material. Bright light, dampness, and soiling are the major threats. Care should be taken to avoid direct exposure to sunlight, moisture, too much handling, or other sources of wear, staining, or soiling. Care in handling and care in displaying are the keys to caring for your ribbons."

Mike Shepherd: "Maintain the collection in good order. The importance of this for woven materials such as ribbons is obvious and it is especially true for older ribbons, many of which will be over 100 years old and quite fragile. I have a few simple rules. Do not touch, handle or re-arrange ribbons or displays unless absolutely necessary to minimize the chance of damaging them or making them dirty or greasy. Place ribbon displays in clear plastic covers to keep them clean and free from casual damage, displaying ribbons in slots on a card is particularly useful in this regard. AVOID THE USE OF GLUES AND ADHESIVES. They often cause damage when it is necessary to move a ribbon from its glued position and the glues often leech into ribbons leaving unsightly and often-permanent stains. Keep ribbons out of direct sunlight which causes colors to fade."

Mike Shepherd: "Do not overlook the value of reliable reference books and ribbon charts. There are many excellent reference sources available and more are being published all the time. These reference sources cater to the needs of the general collector and the specialist. It is not really possible to build up a knowledge of the subject, carry out research or collect anything seriously without the availability of good reference material."

See: Check these sources for some online material.