North Staff plastic

[Peter Brydon]

I bought this badge ( which I wont be keeping ) this morning . It is 1.5 inches tall and looks on the small side. It has a small amount of distortion on the front and it is marked F and G on the back.

I would appreciate any thoughts on the badge please.

Thanks

P.B.

[Paul Spellman]

Hi Peter,
It's fine, you see lots of badges with distortion and shrinkage from one extreme to the other. It's not a bad example
Paul

[Alan O]

It's not a bad example. A little distortion is better than the degradation when the plastic starts to break down.

[Peter Brydon]

Thanks Paul and Alan,
Will put it in the classified then.

Peter

[Paul Spellman]

Apologies Peter,
It has been pointed out to me that the badge is missing its scroll ends.
Paul

[Peter Brydon]

Thanks Paul,

I thought it looked small as I said in the first post, as soon as you mentioned it it was obvious.

Thanks to the 3rd party for pointing it out to you. ( confirms that there are people watching but not posting )

On closer examination the ends have been deliberately cut off, I wonder if there was a reason for that ?

Peter

[leigh kitchen]

I thought it looked a little "neat" but hadn't noticed the dage - I blame my small screened phone again.
I have a Miidlesex Regt with the ends of the scrolls cut off. It doesn't seem particularly likely, but perhaps one scroll was damaged & the other deliberately cut off to make the badge look more "presentable", either in wear or by a collector?

[Peter Brydon]

Thanks Leigh,

On the North Staffs badge both ends of scroll are cut off in exactly the same way. Far too neatly done for it not to have been done for a reason ?

Peter

[Phil2M]

Maybe the pointy ends were removed for a young child to wear the badge.

[Peter Brydon]

Thanks Phil,

Seems unlikely but a possibility.

Peter

[Sonofacqms]

One of the first badges I got was a bi-metal North Staffs with the ends of the scrolls neatly folded back which gave it the same appearance as yours Peter.

When I tried some years later to open up the scrolls they broke off. A man who had a massive collection (to me at the time) told me this was quite a common thing with WWII North Staffs, less to polish etc if they could get away with wearing a badge like this and I tend to think this is what has happened with this badge to ensure conformity possibly with North Staffs who were wearing bi-metal badges at the time.

After all, they never had to polish plastic badges . . !

Rob

[Peter Brydon]

Thanks Rob,

Peter

[volunteersoldier]

Sorry Rob. Absolutely no chance of that. In the North Staffords we were immensely proud of our Regiment and cap badge. If anyone had tried to mutilate the badge he would have been in the guard room before he could blink.

[Sonofacqms]

Originally Posted by volunteersoldier

Sorry Rob. Absolutely no chance of that. In the North Staffords we were immensely proud of our Regiment and cap badge. If anyone had tried to mutilate the badge he would have been in the guard room before he could blink.

Volunteer Soldier, I only added that as a possible theory from something that was told me over fifty years ago by a very experienced collector who had served during WWII, perhaps you can add a reason why anyone would cut the scrolls off a plastic cap badge in the neat fashion which it has been done.

Rob

[Paul Spellman]

Rob,
I doubt no reason is known other than by the person who done it, wether that be a collector for aesthetic reasons or a dealer to sell on with the hope of it being unnoticed or with a 'made up ' story behind it.
I have no doubt Volunteersoldier is correct that any badge mutilated by a soldier serving in the British Army would certainly have consequences to answer and the wear would not be tolerated.
The only known adaption to a badge I know that was worn was the Parachute Regt cap badge, that being by the French during WW11 with the removal of the crown.
Paul