Ceylon Artillery
 

The following white-metal Ceylon Artillery Volunteers badge just went on ebay for what was probably a mild sum of money compared to others I've seen.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Ceylon-A...torefresh=true

I am curious about the slider - it is different to that I expected for a die-struck badge of that pre-1920 era. Also photographs I have seen of the CAV show the other ranks badge to have been worn above the V of the pagri, so the badges probably used lug fittings rather than a slider or pagri pin. The Gaunt manufactured examples of this badge all have lugs, and the cast silver examples have the integrally cast shanks with holes drilled in them.

I am aware that the successor cast brass/gilded metal/bronzed Ceylon Garrison Artillery, and post-WW2 Ceylon Artillery badges have lugs and sliders, sometimes both on the post war beret badge.

The badge itself also looks a little ragged compared to Gaunt die-struck examples, especially around the top scroll, and the sponge end of the rammer is missing. The fretting is not neat around the spokes of the gun-wheel.

I'm no expert regarding sliders or British badges, and many of the gun badges identified as fakes on this forum have the same sort of ragged fretting in the gun wheel and lack of voiding in similar spots, hence my question.

So, should I be sitting here with a box of tissues kicking myself for not bidding the GBP200 + that I've seen them going for previously or is it a questionable item?

Regards, Keith

Keith,

My version has 3 loops and a Gaunt tablet and is better quality than the one shown.

However I must admit to being the underbidder as I thought it was OK. I didnt go all out in a bidding war as I already have one and so it went cheap.

The end of the rammer isnt missing its just got no room to be seen due to the construction of the curls under the Ubique scroll.

I too expected a badge with loops but I think it was OK.

If another 10 come along in the next 12 months then I have been fooled.

regards

Thanks Simon. I was in a quandary as to whether to go for broke or leave it, and left it in the end because I really couldn't be sure. Cheers, Keith

I too had this bookmarked to make a bid on and I just forgot. I have one like Simon's in WM with loops and a small Gaunt tab on the rear behind the ON. As I'm now retired and on my army pension I have to show restraint in my bidding. It went for a bit more than I would have bid.
I have a question: I have a brass CEYLON which is cast and it has a raised non rotating wheel which is held on by a pressed rivet type arrangement (and slightly offset too). N/S loops too. Does anyone else have one like this?
And how common are the beret ones? I have one with a slider which extends about 1cm below the bottom scroll.
Thanking you. sniperbait

Likewise sniperbait. I think the large brass CEYLON is reasonably common and appears from time to time which is to be expected if it was in use until the 1970s. Can't remember what fixings are on mine, it is mounted on a board at the moment.

I've only ever seen one beret badge with CEYLON so can't say how common they are.

Keith

Here are mine for comparison.

The beret badge slider only just protrudes below the lower scroll.

regards

Ceylon Arty
 

Thanking you for the replies. One day I'll upgrade my camera to photograph my 360 variants of the artillery badge. And there are more, I just can't afford them all. eg P.E.I. Canadian.

I guess I'm not the only one who looks forward to that.

Rgds, Thomas