Gaunt Plaques - Real or Fake?
 

Tried posting this under the previous Gaunt maker's mark thread but I think it warrants a new thread and I didn't get any responses before! I think it would be great if we could do a review of Gaunt plates/plaques.

I've attached pics of one RND badge (has been the subject of a previous thread with about equal weight of members opinions as to it being a fake or not a fake). I've also posted pics of two Canadian CEF badges - one Machine Gun and one Lord Strathcona's Horse both of which have Gaunt plaques and both which I have believed up till now are original.

All of these badges have similar plaques that differ from the common Gaunt plaque. The plaques pictured here have a well defined, neatly struck font on a slightly bigger plate than the usual Gaunt plaque. In contrast the common Gaunt plaque font is generally not particularly cleanly struck and can sometimes be difficult to read (there is a good example in the Gaunt makers mark album).

So - what do you think? Are the plates in the attached pics genuine? To add to the discussion - I believe that the CEF MG badge pictured here was made towards the end of the war - almost all these badges are in near-mint condition and may never have been issued. However, I think most CEF collectors accept them as genuine. Could Gaunt have "updated" their plaque towards the end of the war??

Anyone got similar plaques on badges they know to be genuine?

Cheers, Ian.

Strathcona pics....

100% genuine WW1 YORKSHIRE REGIMENT

Nice to see that, Jeanpit. Thanks for your post. I'd say the font is identical to the one in my pics, just that the guy operating the stamping machine must have had a late night...

Anyone else?

Cheers, Ian.

I have seen several of the Lord Strathcona's Horse capbadges - with Gaunt plates - offered on eBay. Are they repro/restrike, or simply somebody's stash?
Not a scarce badge.

Phil

Hi Phil,

Yes - there was one identical to mine just sold on e-bay. Same kind of Gaunt plate. I haven't seen too many of the CEF pattern on e-bay but lots of later patterns. Also, I've had a number of good CEF badges from the seller.

Cheers,

Ian.

Gaunt MG Badge
 

Ian,

The MG badge w/Gaunt is a restrike for the 1934 CDN Corps reunion! I am assumunig hundreds were struck the giveaway is the finish of the badge. The badge was made by Gaunt so in away its legit but not a CEF WW1 badge persay.

I hope this helps

Hi Rob,

That could explain a lot! Possibly the same applies to the LSH badge. Some questions:

- Can you describe what is is about the finish that gives it away?

- Do you know the source of the info about the reunion restrikes? Is it documented?

- Do you know of any other CEF badges that were restruck for this purpose?

Thanks for your info!

Cheers, Ian.

all together:

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/ima...nt_plaques.jpg

1. RND Hood
2. Canada MGC
3. Yorkshire Regt
4. KC Coast Guard Gm
5. KC Coast Guard Bz
6. Nothumberland Hussars collar
7. Lord Strathcona's Horse
8. Auckland Regiment

4,5,6 & 8 are in my collection, will add full photos later.

must admit if 1 and 2 are fake then so is 7, strathcona's. there's a lot appearing on ebay you say ? ;)


(brighter version of the above image)

As someone else pointed out, I wonder why they fixed a plaque on the back of a flat part of the badge when normally they would stamp straight into the badge metal itself? the plaques were for adding the gaunt name to an uneven die struck surface.

CEF LSH & MG Badges
 

Mike - thanks for putting everything together in that excellent post. Regarding the Strathcona's badge, I have just corresponded with Chris Brooker, who is a recognised expert in Canadian badges and who helped put together one of the bibles for CEF badges (the Charlton guide). He is selling or just sold on e-bay a CEF pattern LSH badge with the same style Gaunt plaque and guarantees originality. He does say this badge was re-struck in the 1970's by Birmingham Mint who bought out Gaunt and used their original dies. The giveaway is that the restrike was done using yellow brass, much yellower than the originals. He doesn't see any issue in the font style of the Gaunt plate.

He also thought my MG badge was a 1970's Birmingham mint restrike. I've asked for more details as to what the giveaways are for that badge. I like your point about the position of the plaque - make sense.

Cheers, Ian.

Hi Ian, the RND badge will make me nervous about that style plaque wherever I see it now. Although collectors have a problem if the original die for striking the plaque is with the restrikers. Interesting that we have two opinions on the date of the CMGC badge 1934 and 1970's.

Anyway here for posterity is the NH Collar with a plaque I've had for 30 years. (no. 6)


http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/images2/nh_collar1.jpg

[QUOTE=Mike;45063]Hi Ian, the RND badge will make me nervous about that style plaque wherever I see it now. Although collectors have a problem if the original die for striking the plaque is with the restrikers. Interesting that we have two opinions on the date of the CMGC badge 1934 and 1970's.
[QUOTE]

I agree - I'm much happier with the "usual" Gaunt plate like on your NH collar. And whatever the date, I think the MG badge is coming out of my CEF collection!

Cheers, Ian.

CEF MG Corps badge pictured here
 

I purchased this badge in this topic but have returned it to the seller as I'm quite positively sure it's a restrike.

The badge is quite soft, has wrong style of lugs and is too pristine, ...I should of known but he the seller has been good in the past.

The fact that is was soft suggests to me much more recent manufacture than has been suggested.

anyway for posterity here are some slightly different tablets/plates/plaques on Coast Guard Insignia, I assume these are from the period when the Coast Guard was under Admiralty control pre 1923 (or was it 1927?)


http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/ima...ast_guard2.jpg