Puzzling Military Bronze(?) in Shape of Medal

[veggieguy]

We picked this up at auction but have not been able to identify what exactly it is. A couple of career Navy folks in my family say that it's a representation of a Naval Good Conduct medal and that the eagle on top is the rank of an E-6 enlisted Sailor. They have never seen anything quite like this piece, though.

It's 8.75" tall and weighs about 4 lbs. The metal is not magnetic and may be bronze. As you can see in one of the pictures, it has a couple of odd raised areas along the edges which seem to show wear as if it were repeatedly rubbed against something.  It's almost like it was shaped to fit into another item, puzzle like, to hold it in place, yet was regularly removed.

Any military collectors here that might know what this is?
Thanks!

Pictures:

[Ipcress]

I agree it's been designed to be positioned somewhere. Could be a war memorial of some description.

This is a " home made " display for brothers in the British army.  The bronze Memorial Plaque in the centre is standard issue but the rest isn't.



The Good Conduct medals have an area in the centre left blank so the name of the recipient can be engraved on it. Maybe your bronze plaque is similar and was never issued ? Could be someone designed it with the intention of placing on tombstones...


Difficult to say exactly but obviously has value.

[KC]

Have seen a few times over the years a few pieces attached to a tombstone.  Wonder if this is what this one was for?  Have also seen lager items made for a wall with pictures/plaques of servicemen situated all over the wall.

8" tall and weighs 4 pounds?  How wide?

[veggieguy]

Sorry, somehow was not subscribed to my own thread, so didn't get notified of responses.

It is 6" wide at the widest point.

One family member did suggest the tombstone possibility, but it's hard to say for sure.  The wear lines on the edges look like they would require repeated rubbing to produce, which doesn't seem to fit the tombstone theory. However, it doesn't really fit the plaque theory either.

My wife wondered if it was a cover for something, where it was repeatedly lifted to reveal something beneath. Seems like there would be some sort of fastener present if that was the case though.

It's quite a puzzle.