KOSB by Tiptaft
 

A quick teatime teaser.

Can anyone see why I was delighted to finally add this Kings Own Scottish Borderers to the collection?

Hmmm
The only thing I can see it's not voided in between the back leg and crown?
Otherwise, "dunno"!

Chris

Luke,

Tiptaft maker, nice and a big tick in the rarity stakes I think.

regards

I see it now, nice! Very nice

Chris

Spot on Simon.

It’s marked between the turrets on the reverse to the viewers right Chris.

A scarce badge and first I’ve seen in over a year of searching.

Cheers Luke
Does Simon win the badge?:D
Is this the only makers marked KOSB badges?
I am aware of the Gaunt tablet marked QVC badges
Chris

Unless my eyes are off, the relative size of the lugs and the badge suggest it is the small size adjutant's forage cap badge.

Phil

It's an OR"s pattern badge, Officers pattern are voided around the scrolls.
Chris

Then my eyes are off - and I'm floundering in a sea of my own ignorance.

Phil

Looking at the lug placement, is it narrow for a helmet plate centre as well? That would make it 1902-1914.
Cheers,
Alex

The badge measures approx. 46mm (W) x 65mm (H). I had (and do) regard it simply as a makers variation, very likely of WW1 vintage.

Quality-wise it is certainly other ranks and not Tiptafts best work at that.

The loops are unusual generally speaking, but, not however for Tiptaft where similar are quite common on their Canadian and other badges. You can see how they’ve been drawn out to increase surface area around the attachment site.

Admit I’d never heard of an adjutants badge but alas I do not have Hiram’s book nor am well versed in their distinctions.

This in Not an Officers Design Badge, it is an OR's design badge, if it is a small size, hard to tell as picture does not show or illustrate its size, I would require to know the size before attributing its function, as a sealed pattern KOSB badge.

Regards this thing about the Adjutant of the KOSB wearing Peaked Cheese Cutter design Forage cap, note the Military Band Master also wore it for a short period of time, I have photographs of both wearing normal size officers design cap badges on this headdress and also the small fully fretted cap badge of officers design. This form of headdress was only worn for a few years and quite unique to the Regiment.

It is illustrated and discussed in my new book.

Warm wishes
Hiram

Thanks Hiram.

Badge measures 46mm (W) x 65mm (H).

Hi Luke,

I can confirm it is a standard size cap badge of the period, there were a number of manufactures of this OR's design cap badge. It is a very nice example and the first I have seen by this maker, I have Guant QVC example and Andersons of Edinburgh.

This may have been a private striking by J.W. Tiptuft and Sons Ltd, it would be interesting to find out if there are any collectors with an other example.

Warm wishes
Hiram

Thanks for confirming Hiram.

So as I suspected an other ranks makers variation. Strongly I suspect it’s of WW1 vintage when Tiptaft seem to have been particularly active.

I know of at least 2 other KOSBs by Tiptaft, one was shown on this forum years ago but the embedded photobucket images have expired.

Attached is the example I missed on eBay last year.

The mark is easily missed and whilst undoubtedly not common I expect more are out there than have come to attention.