✅ SOLVED NYBS? Hunting or shooting fraternity?

[on.off]

this is an interesting and rather nicely made and detailed badge. It reads AUG 6TH 1885 / 1910 and N. Y. B. S. No. 1. The banner in the eagle's mouth reads 25 jaehriges jubilaeum for 25 year jubilee.

the decoration features rifles, a target, laurel wreaths, and a small shield device with stars & stripes. i had no luck researching this piece either, though it seems to be some kind of shooting or hunting or perhaps military-type organization. the "No 1" i believe refers to the lodge or chapter number.

any thoughts on this would be appreciated. the back is plain with no inscriptions or maker's marks.

 

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[villagenut]

Although I found nothing in terms of what NYBS was, I would have to assume it may be "New York Bullseye Shooters", based on the rifles and the bullseye. Bullseye shooting was once a popular pasttime and many took their good aim very seriously...thus the club. This may help spur on a solid ID hopefully. It is a pretty cool find, that was once a prize to have for the holder.

 

[on.off]

i wonder if the german inscription is also a clue. it seems like a lot of these types of things had latin mottoes. i don't recall seeing this german version on anything else.

 

[BosnMate]

I thought maybe Boy Scouts

 

[on.off]

your guess had me excited for a minute, but according to wiki, the boy scouts didn't come to america til 1910 (what ever this NYBS on this badge is, it was founded aug 6 1885). bummer!

 

[cw0909]

a german shooting club clubhouse, can see the emblem in lrg view
not quite the same but close

Former German-American Shooting Society Clubhouse at 12 St Mark's Place (1885) with inscription Einigkeit macht stark ("Unity strengthens") designed by William C. Frohne
click for lrg img
Little Germany, Manhattan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tompkins Square Park, in what is now known as Alphabet City, was an important public space that the Germans called the Weisse Garten.[SUP][8][/SUP] There werebeer gardens, sport clubs, libraries, choirs, shooting clubs, German theatres, German schools, German churches, and German synagogues.
Little Germany, Manhattan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[on.off]

nice work cw! i think you nailed it. used to live across the street from this building, coincidentally. really glad to have found out about this piece, thanks again!

 

[cw0909]

nice work cw! i think you nailed it. used to live across the street from this building, coincidentally. really glad to have found out about this piece, thanks again!

i didnt see your medal here, but maybe the guy at this site has more info
Keith Buchert's Unique Sporting Collectibles

 

[on.off]

thanks to your lead i have been able to ID this organization.

it is NYSB, not NYBS, and it stands for the New York Schützen Bund ("NY Shooting Federation"), which was headquartered at 630 9th avenue (now an office building). on aug 6 & 7th 1910, the date indicated by this pin, the club held its silver jubilee banquet and celebration at Manhattan Casino and Gardens, located much farther uptown at 280 w 155th st (now a parking lot). i found a couple references to some sort of publication issued for the event; it is called Silber Jubilaeum: 25tes Bundes-Schuetzen-Fest Fahnenweihe und grosses Banquet des New York Schuetzen-Bund No. 1 : Bundes-Praesident Capt. Fred. Schill : in Manhattan Casino and Gardens, Samstag und Sonntag, 6. und 7. August 1910

i'm sure this pin was given to those in attendance as a memento.

the Fred Schill referenced in the title turned up in a NY Times article as the "king" of an 1887 shooting festival, where he shot his way to the grand prize $50 in cash (about $1300 today) and a "gold medal worth the same amount" (i wonder where that piece is now!).

i guess i can mark this one solved. very cool slice of old and obscure NYC history, glad to have found this pin which is a reminder of that.