Who is this guy, and does anyone have a guess about the inscription?

This looks like some sort of school prize pin or a commemorative of some sort. It's a dude with a moustache and the dates 1608-1906, so the 298th anniversary of .... something. The back gives initials (FAAU?) and Champlain.

 

Champlain immediately visible. @komokwa Do the initials convey anything to you?

 

In 1608 Samuel de Champlain founded the village that grew into Quebec City. It's possible the initials stand for French words.

 

Quebec commemorative. He founded the city in 1608.No idea why it's 298 years though.

 

Weird, isn't it? They only had to wait 2 years.

 

FAAU?

 

Glidden Tour, became international event that year when it visited Canada, including Quebec City.

http://www.gliddentour.org/?page_id=26

Debora

 

http://www.historiclakes.org/tercentenary/tercentenary1.htm

 

And I thought the movie It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World was strictly fiction.

 

I noticed the portrait on this medallion does not look at all like the more courtly figure that seems to be the standard representation.

Not enough As in the initials for Automobile Association of America. Still thinking.

 

I tried to figure this one out for a while and then put it aside. It's still a puzzlement.

 

The big event of 1906 seems to have been the introduction of cinema in Montreal.

 

'Spect there were lots of automobile associations in those early days. Could be something like "Federation de Quelque-Chose." Dunno. Just guessing. Or it appears that the narrative of Champain's travels, The Voyages and Explorations of Samuel de Champlain, was published that year.

Debora

 

i'm not coming up with anything relative..

 

Thanks for taking a look.

 

sad and weird at the same time.....
Sam's wife & kids.....

Spouse: Helene Boullé (m. 1610–1635)
Children: Charity de Champlain, Faith de Champlain, Hope de Champlain

 

Poor kid. It wasn't an unusual story for the time though. The kids, btw, were all adopted locals. The wife ended up opting for a convent over life with the husband.

 

I think there were times my wife................... oh....never mind !

 

As long as she's not threatening to shoot, you're probably doing OK.(LOL)