Crossed swords down?

[lettman]

Was there ever any circumstance when the crossed swords arm badge (denoting an instructor, or for swordsmanship, or whatever) was worn with the blades pointing down instead of up? I am particularly wondering if this may have been done for any reason in the late 19th or early 20th centuries?

[grumpy]

Very unlikely but not impossible ....... it has been known to happen to trumpets, horseshoes and hammer and tongs!

One reason why unlikely is the badge was one of a large family, all of which EXCEPT the most junior had star or crown, or wreath and star etc, all of which would look a bit odd a*se-about-face.

[lettman]

Thanks -- I suspected as much. It's just that I have an example of the pre-WW1 cavalry 'frock' (scarlet with blue collar tabs) which has a very nice bullion crossed-swords badge stitched on upside-down. It was probably put on by a previous (non-service) owner wanting to tart it up, but it appears to have been done a long time ago.