British Legion silver badge?
 

Hi Mike and other BL fans,

Here are photos of a large silver BL badge plus what I suspect is a Womens' Section scarf pin.

The large badge is not h/m, merely marked "SILVER" and appears to come from the Birmingham Medal Co.

Mike, any info on a silver badge? As they issued gold ones, I suspect that silver was also a sign of some "distinguished service".

When I bought it, I thought that it was a standard badge but was pleasantly surprised with what it turned out to be!

From a post I made in another thread :

"British Legion (BL) Life Membership Badges evolved from its first appearance entirely silver plated, then in silver plated and blue enamel, and then to its final version in brass and enamel".

BL Silver Badge (Life Member ?)

The Birmingham Medal Co. made two sizes of BL badges , the 'large' (26mm) and the miniature (7mm-9mm) , the little ones came with various fittings/styles (brooch/brooch bar/pin fitting/pendant or 'dangler').

The Birmingham Medal Company (under various names/makers marks) produced BL badges from 1928-1945. Gaunt had the contracts before and after these dates.


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Hi Mike

Thanks for your reply. I knew that you'd be able to give it a date!

This badge is definitely silver and also unnumbered so was this common?

I do have a large 9ct named and cased badge for a member who served as an "Honorary Auditor" which I'll drag out and post photos of.

Any thoughts on the purpose of the other item?

Regarding the silver badge , many 'one off' badges were not sent for hallmarking to save on costs as the money for the badge came from branch funds. Also , with it having a button hole fitting it may have been difficult to fit in the makers mark , 'silver' stamp and member number ?

I think one reason for the 'brooch bar' fitting was simply ease of use , the mini basic pin fitting badges would have been difficult to pin on to clothes .

When the badge was redesigned (after a vote at the 1946 25th Anniversary Conference ) the 'new' badge was a similar style (side arms) to the old 'brooch bar' type (and the attached 'canteen' badge). ;)



P.S. Perhaps the mods could move this thread to the British (rather than Canadian) section ?


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Hi Mike

Many thanks for your ongoing info. Sorry that I appear to have "misfiled" this post...

I can now see from the top task bar that it is under Canadian topics!

The h/m marks on the gold badges are to the reverse of the badge itself but they would have been unable to h/m this silver badge after enameling without completely destroying the enamel!

You, like me, have some practical handworking skills so can appreciate that the gold badges MUST have been placed in the die for hallmarking then enameled.

The addition of marks to an unsupported, enameled piece of metal would be somewhat disasterous!