Trusted by Boston PD, Fire & Veterans
Military & First Responder Shadow Boxes
Medals, badges, patches, flags, and challenge coins — built into custom shadow boxes that honor a career of service. We've framed retirement displays for Boston police, fire, EMS, and veterans for over 40 years.
Walk-ins always welcome. Bring the piece in and we'll design and price it together.
A retirement after 25 or 30 years of service deserves more than a thank-you letter. We build shadow boxes that pull together the medals, patches, badge, flag, photos, and challenge coins from an entire career into one piece that hangs proudly in a den, office, or station house.
Boston Police, BFD, and military families have been bringing retirement displays to our shop for decades. We know how to lay out the rank insignia, fold the flag correctly, mount the medals without damaging the ribbons, and pair it all with the right photos and citations.
What We Frame
How It Works
From walk-in to finished piece — a careful, hands-on process built over four decades.
Bring everything in
Bring all the items — medals, patches, badge, flag, photos, citations. We'll lay them out together so you can see the full story before we design the box.
Design the layout
We arrange the pieces in proper military or department protocol. Rank insignia goes where rank insignia goes; ribbons sit in proper order. We can recreate any official rack arrangement.
Choose moulding and depth
Service shadow boxes are usually deeper to accommodate medals and 3D items. We pick a moulding that matches the tone — often dark wood with subtle gold accents.
Mount and seal
Every medal is mounted with archival, reversible methods — no glue on the ribbons. The flag is properly folded and pinned. Acid-free backing throughout.
Engrave the nameplate
Most retirement displays include an engraved brass plate with name, rank, badge number, and dates of service. Included on most builds.
Why It Matters
Proper protocol for medal and ribbon arrangement (Army, Navy, USAF, USMC, USCG, BPD, BFD)
Reversible, archival mounting — medals are not glued or pierced
Engraved brass nameplates included on most retirement builds
Folded flag display cases with optional inset medals
UV-protective glass to keep ribbons and patches from fading
Department-specific layouts (BPD, BFD, MA State Police, etc.)
Bulk pricing for unit-wide retirement gifts
Why Boston Trusts Us
We work directly with Boston Police, Boston Fire, and surrounding departments on a steady stream of framing — artwork for stations and offices, medallions and citations, recognition awards, retirement displays, and high-quality presentation pieces. Several BPD districts and BFD houses are longtime clients. We also work with VA hospitals, Bedford VA, and military families across Greater Boston. For department or unit-wide projects, ask us about volume pricing.
Recent Work
Common Questions
How much does a retirement shadow box cost?+
Every retirement shadow box is custom — pricing depends on the depth of the box, the moulding, the number of items being mounted, and whether a folded flag is included. Bring the items in and we'll lay them out and quote the project together. Quotes are always free.
Will mounting damage my medals or ribbons?+
No. We use reversible, archival methods. Medals are pinned through the backing — never glued — and ribbons are left intact. Everything can be removed at any time without alteration.
Do you do flag-only display cases (KIA / military funeral flags)?+
Yes. We build proper triangular display cases for funeral and ceremonial flags, with optional inset compartments for medals, dog tags, or photos.
Can you do bulk projects for a department or unit?+
Yes. We work with BPD districts, BFD houses, and military units on bulk retirement gifts. Email us the count and we'll quote with volume pricing.
Can you replicate official medal-rack protocol?+
Yes. We follow proper service protocol for medal and ribbon order. If you have a specific layout you want preserved, bring a photo or DD-214 and we'll match it.
How long does it take?+
Most service shadow boxes finish in 7–10 business days because of the layout work involved. Rush available — call us with your retirement date.
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Learn MoreReady to Get Started?
Walk in anytime or book a consultation. Bring the piece — we'll design and price it with you in person. Pricing is always quoted in writing before any work begins.
1741 Centre Street, West Roxbury · Free parking · Walk-ins always welcome