Hello badgecollector
Good to have your input, and interesting to hear your suspicions of Alex’s lugged badge because of it not having any sweat holes. When I first started collecting I didn’t know about sweat holes, though soon came to realise that these are indeed generally a sign of an early badge. However, although I’m still very much a novice, especially compared with some of the expert voices we are lucky enough to have as members of this Forum, I am now of the opinion that the use of sweat holes actually varied considerably between different manufactures. My studies on these Leicesters badges are still very much in their early stages, but I’m inclined to think that whilst some makers ceased using sweat holes as part of their manufacturing process during the Great War, others continued to use them right up to the Second World War and even after (Dowler’s post-1946 Leicesters beret badges have what look like sweat holes).
Like you I think Alex’s slidered badge is a genuine one, and could well be by a maker who only began producing badges during the First World War; going by the fact that I have also seen this exact same design in all-brass/gilding metal. Though I have to say I do also believe his lugged one is good. I think it is worth pointing out here that this particular manufacture’s style is the one shown in the 1900 Dress Regulations:
I have seen a number of Leicesters badges of this style/design, some with lugs and some with sliders. Interestingly all the slidered examples I have so far seen have sweat holes, which means this maker was still using them around 1906, whilst those without sweat holes have all been lugged. Further, all of the slidered badges had a rather poorly defined ‘H’ in the ‘Hindoostan’ top scroll, something which I have seen on some lugged versions again with sweat holes, and which I personally took to be due to wear in the dies.
Now this next bit might set the cat amongst the pigeons somewhat, but the badges of this style I have seen up till now without sweat holes (which have always been lugged) all have a much better defined ‘H’, suggesting to me they might actually be earlier!? Could it be that in this instance the badges without sweat holes pre-date the ones with them? Does anyone know when sweat holes were introduced to the manufacturing process?
Like I have said elsewhere, I am still very much learning about cap badges, but the quality of Alex’s lugged badge makes me think it is genuine. The only question for me is would it be older than the similar badges of this style that do have sweat holes, and at the moment my personal preference would be that it is. I’m sure someone else will rush to correct me if I’m way out on this, but all I see is a decent old badge and certainly not a restrike.
Best regards
Martin
P.S. For what it’s worth I think the double struck/off centre appearance of the ‘Hindoostan’ might just be a trick of the light and the way the photograph was taken, but maybe Alex could clarify this for us? Even if there is a slight misstriking here, I still don’t personally think the badge is a restrike.