Rare Irish Guards, anodised 'cap star'.
 

A recent acquisition of mine.

In the Guards museum, within the display of cap badges is an example of the attached. Issued to the Battalion in the early 1970's it was apparently returned from whence it came by (if I recall) the RSM as it was substandard and the lugs had been applied North & South. There is a die flaw at about 10 or 11 o'clock as you look at it. The ends of the rays at this point are a bit mangled and there are 3 'blobs' on the rays about halfway along. My images do not really show these flaws well, but with the naked eye are visible. On the rear, there appear to be locating/fixing marks for the lugs at the East & West position, but for some reason are affixed vertically.

Purely for interests sake chaps.

Regards all

Bess

Nice badge. A good find mate. Cant be many around if they were returned to the maker.
It's odd they'd have put the lugs north and south.

Possibly incorrectly orientated during the process.

Marc

A nice cap star Bess.
Andy

Thanks chaps, just goes to show these things do STILL turn up.

I've been searching for this little b#####d for years, would you believe. . . .

Unusual badge. Excellent find. Interesting IG artefact. Looks like you have unearthed yet another extreme rarity! I

Congratulations, Sean on another good discovery!

W

Very interesting , that’s a new one for me. Thanks for posting.

John

Guards badge
 

Just a thought, might this have been an intended belt plate badge?
Bob

Hi Sean,
Yes nice find and another variant to look out for. This badge made me scurry to my swops box and found this anodised I.G cap star below.

This cap star may well have been cold enamelled or painted I don't know. Who ever did it must have spent ages doctoring this badge to make it look like a Warrant Officers cap star unless it was issued this way?

Don't think the R.S.M would have been happy with this one either.
Regards
Colin

That looks quite good imho.
Andy

Thanks Andy,
I've just realised it's silver anodised too.
Delving further into the swop box I have found a gold I.G cap star also made by J.R Gaunt London to put alongside to show the possible difference in colour.
Regards
Colin

Could it be a pipers beret badge or an error?
I dont know if pipers are allowed to wear the caubeen all the time. The centre looks as if it's been painted. The colours are wrong. Should be the cross in red ,the circlet in blue,the cross backing white and gold letters and highlights.

I have seen similar anodised badges,both with professional enamelling,the RDG rejected version and to the Duke of Connaught's Hampshire.

Looks even nicer next to the gold one.
Andy

Is this the one from tel's insignia?

It is . . .