Lenin lapel badge, gold‑marked

Jewelry

-

Archive of Cuban Socialism

Name/Title

Lenin lapel badge, gold‑marked

Entry/Object ID

2025.2.1

Description

Small oval lapel pin. Convex red enamel field carrying a raised left‑facing profile portrait of Vladimir Lenin in a gold‑colored finish; matching rim. Reverse is gold‑colored and textured, with an embossed mark and a small separate hallmark; vertical needle‑and‑clasp pin fastener.

Item Type

Lapel Pin

Use

Obtained in Cuba and brought to New York by Anna Veltfort.

Collection

Anna Veltfort collection

Acquisition

Accession

2025.2

Source or Donor

Anna Veltfort

Acquisition Method

Gift

Made/Created

Notes

Place of Origin: Uncertain. The "10K" karat mark follows a Western/US convention rather than Soviet metric fineness, so despite the Lenin subject the manufacture may not be Soviet — flagged for further research.

Mark, Engraving or Stamp

Type

Engraving

Location

Back

Transcription

10K

Notes

Front — none (relief portrait only). Reverse — "10K" (per cataloger's reading); plus a small maker's hallmark/logo at lower right (unidentified).

Jewelry Details

Beads

Material

Metal

Shape

Oval

Count

1

Materials

Material Notes

Materials: If "10K" denotes karat fineness, the badge may be 10‑karat gold or gold‑filled (tentative — not confirmed); red enamel or enamel‑like lacquer; steel pin. Technique: Die‑struck metal badge with enamel fill; soldered needle/clasp fastener.

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Anna Veltfort

Notes

owner

Person or Organization

Vladimir I. Lenin

Notes

imagery

Related Places

Place

City

Havana

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Notes

acquisition

Place

City

New York City

State/Province

New York

Country

U.S.A.

Continent

North America

Notes

preservation

Place

Country

U.S.S.R.

Region

Eastern Europe

Continent

Europe

Notes

production

Research Notes

Notes

"10K" conventionally = 10‑karat gold (US/Western hallmarking). Soviet domestic gold uses metric fineness (e.g., 375 ≈ 9K, 583 ≈ 14K), so "10K" is atypical for Soviet production and raises the possibility of a Western‑made (e.g., commemorative or émigré‑market) Lenin badge. Warrants verification. A separate small hallmark is present on the reverse and may identify the maker.

Created By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Create Date

May 16, 2025

Updated By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Update Date

June 14, 2026