Offered here is the gold Miami Beach Chief of Detectives badge of Ora C. Ball. Three diamonds adorn the front of the badge. The presentation inscription is on the back of the badge: “WITH BEST WISHES/TO OUR/CHIEF/ORA C. BALL/FROM/JULIUS DAMENSTEIN/5-15-31.” Miami Beach Chief of Detectives O.C. Ball was appointed detective in February 1931. One of Ball’s early cases as a Miami Beach detective was the arrest of Laurence Shannon wanted in connection with a $50,000 jewelry holdup robbery in Chicago. Prior to joining the Miami Beach Police Department, Ball was a member of the Indianapolis Police Department and police chief of Montauk, Long Island. Born in Germany, Julius Damenstein became an American citizen on the Fourth of July, 1915, was a jeweler by trade and opened a jeweler store in Miami on West Flagler St. Perhaps this badge was presented to Ball as a token of appreciation for the capture of jewel thief Laurence Shannon, who was certainly every jeweler’s worst nightmare. Provenance: The Robert B. “Bob” Berryman Estate Collection

Exceptionally fine, showing typical minor handling marks.