Not Your Grandfather's Dog Tag

The name “Not Your Grandfather’s Dog Tag” is a reflection on the historical uses of dog tags.  Dog tags were originally identification tags worn by dogs.  In 1906, the U.S. Army first authorized identification tags, which resembled dog tags, and thus they were nicknamed dog tags.  Ten years later, all soldiers were issued two tags: one to stay with the body and the other to go to the person in charge of the burial for record-keeping purposes.  Following WWII, the U.S. Navy adopted the tags.  Additionally, U.S. Forces were permitted to wear a small religious medallion (e.g. a cross or Star of David) providing a quickly identifiable reference for a chaplain should his services be required.  And red tags were issued to members with a medical condition that requires special attention. 

In a short period of time, a “dog tag” had changed from an identification tag worn by dogs, to a single tag hanging from a chain worn by military personnel, to a series of tags hanging from a chain worn by military personnel. 

Eventually, following the lead of the military, certain country governments began to issue these tags for the purpose of travel.  Just as with the original military tags, they are intended for identification of a traveler who is incapacitated.  

Dog tags recently trickled into the world as fashion jewelry.  Originally worn by youths wishing to present a tough or militaristic image, dog tags have since saturated wider fashion circles.  When the general public originally began wearing them, they were inscribed with a person's details, their beliefs, a favorite quote, the name or logo of a band or performer, or even just images of their favorite things. But in modern fashion, dog tags no longer necessarily include any element of personal identification.  The term now generally refers to a ball chain with one or multiple charms, beads or pendants hanging from it. 

My dog tags are the result of a “challenge” I encountered while collecting vintage jewelry.  It never failed that my purchases of vintage jewelry lots included many single earrings.  I insisted these earrings could not be thrown away.  Someone had held onto these single pieces for years, and sometimes even generations, before they came to me as an unwanted piece in a lot of jewelry.  I became fascinated by the history of these pieces that had survived, and the people who had kept them.  To have held onto them, knowing they would likely never find the mate again, tells us that these single earrings had some sort of importance.   

My pursuit of dog chains was not only an attempt to keep these lovely vintage components out of the landfill, but it also seemed a fitting use since dog tags have always contained information of importance.  As I make these dog tags, I try to imagine the romantic stories behind the components I am using.  They could have been a gift from a close friend, what a woman wore on the day she met her future husband, or the first present her child ever bought for her.  Though I will never know most of the stories from yesteryear, I do know that some of my dog tags contain parts from as many as seven vintage earrings, so they may contain stories from as many as seven different people’s lives. 

When possible, I try to include a bit of history in the descriptions of the items.  The history I include is generally taken from my Victorian San Francisco research website: www.victoriansanfrancisco.com.  To learn more about all things vintage, please visit my non-commercial website.