Machine Gun Corps
 

posted this earlier in the Great War Forum and one of the Senior members suggested that I post here where specialist Mgc collextors might be able to advise re dating this cap badge (if Indeed it is original ?)

Repro.

Same stable (Martin Marsh catalogue) as this fake MGC RND https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WWI-ROYAL...9a64%7Ciid%3A1 note the lack of definition behind the crown and they’ve just stuck a couple extra loops on.

Many of these fakes have a abnormally wide aperture between the pearls and cross at the centre of the crown.

I agree with Luke. Martin and his mum (Margaret?) sold these in large numbers 10-20 years back from somewhere in Dorset...Weymouth maybe (?) so most of these repro's will now have built up twenty years worth of patina? Very sad.

does look very similiar - just thought it seemed a lot of effort for a cheap fake !

Excellent information. I collected MGC badges back 20 years ago, and at least none of mine have the gap you show. That said, I am still sure some of the ones I have are fakes. But they do make a nice display, so I am happy.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...s/DSCF3115.JPG

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...s/DSCF3114.JPG

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...s/DSCF3113.JPG

Terry

Both Gaunt marked badges are fake I’m afraid.

The plaque itself is also fake, these appeared about 10 years ago. I can tell from the size of the mark on the shank that it is the 15mm repro mark.

The RND MGC will also be fake. The Tank Corps appears to be a ‘spanner’ fake. Sadly your MMG badge also looks like a repro.

Sorry for the bad news but as you say they still make a nice display.

No worry Luke. Except for the one Gaunt badge, the ones you ID as fake are the ones I assumed too. The dug one supposedly came from the Somme, but of course no way to confirm it. As I said, I like the display so can be happy with it. I do hope a few are good through.

Thanks for the quick reply!

Terry

... and the Regiment President Steyn is also one of the 1970's repro's, sorry

Luke H - thanks for adding the photos, makes it much easier to understand when you mentioned aperture width...
appreciated
Home Guard - nice looking display, thanks for posting

Just to add, the fake shown in the opening post always has a flat base to the crown. All genuine ones are curved as illustrated below. There are many strikes of this version of the badge with my research having identified fourteen so far. Also, I would expect all other ranks to have a shank (slider).

Fake on the left, genuine on the right.

All the best,

Andrew

A genuine Gaunt marked badge for reference.

Again, notice the curve on the base of the crown.

Nice badge Andy. I’ve also seen them with the rarer curved Gaunt mark on the slider.

Martin began producing catalogues in the late-1980s when he was based in Whaley Bridge near Stockport before moving to Weymouth, Dorset sometime later. Many of the ‘new’ fake dies he used had been extant since the 1970s fake flood so some of these badges have 50 years worth of patina.

Thanks Luke. I don't suppose you can show one with the curved mark? Always looking for variations :D

Not a genuine badge.

Hello David,

Not good I'm afraid. The style of Machine gun badge is wrong and should be constructed using the "tall crown" version. Also yours would appear to have the tell tale fault in the crown as illustrated below.