Unique & Wonderful ca 1900s Pre-Agency Detective Badge of Eventual Director of BOI William J Burns
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Unique & Wonderful ca 1900s Pre-Agency Detective Badge of Eventual Director of BOI William J Burns

Code: pdgfe01007wjb

$3,750.00




Product Description

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ARTIFACT:

In a strange twist of fate, after having found William J Burns' personal badge as the Chief of his Namesake Detective Agency many years ago at the Brimfield Antiques Market, this February I came upon Burns' own Private Detective Badge at the Show of Shows in Louisville. This badge dates to BEFORE the existence of the William J. Burns Detective Agency and was Burns' personal Detective badge of the 1900's period. A Federal Eagle at center pulls from Burns' time with the Secret Service but the C at bottom for Civilian to show separation from his Federal Service. 

This hand stamped, one of a kind badge was ordered with the utmost attention to detail as Burns' Personal Detective Badge, from the hard fired Black, Red, White, & Blue enamel to the State-of-the-Art reinforced T Pin and Streamlined Tiffany Type Looking Catch, to the gold fill or heavy gold plate finish. A truly beautiful & historical piece in the annals of American Detective History.

William John Burns (October 19, 1861 - April 14, 1932) was an American Private Investigator and Law Enforcement Official. He was known as "America's Sherlock Holmes" and earned fame for having conducted private investigations into a number of notable incidents, such as clearing Leo Frank of the 1913 murder of Mary Phagan, and for investigating the deadly 1910 Los Angeles Times bombing conducted by members of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers. In the 1880s - 1890s he was a US Secret Service Agent before becoming a Private Detective around 1900 (This Badge dates to this period) eventually opening his own Detective Agency in 1909.  From August 22, 1921, to May 10, 1924, Burns served as the fourth director of the Bureau of Investigation (BOI), predecessor to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

VINTAGE: Circa 1900.

SIZE: Approximately: 3-1/8" in height x 2-1/4" in width.

MATERIALS / CONSTRUCTION: Gold Fill or Heavy Gold -plate with hard fired Black, Red, White, & Blue enamel.

ATTACHMENT: (Vertical) State-of-the-Art reinforced T Pin and Streamlined Tiffany Type Looking Catch.

MARKINGS: N/A.

ITEM NOTES: This is from a police and law enforcement collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. MIEM25 LCGEJX03/27/25

CONDITION: 8+ (Excellent): The badge shows minor to moderate wear to the high point, and some tarnish, overall, it is a beautiful badge and in excellent condition as a circa 1900.

GUARANTEE: As with all my artifacts, this piece is guaranteed to be original, as described.