Badge Manufacturers
 

It would be a great reference to have a list with the various badge manufacturers of Canadian badges. The list should include the makers name, (or names), the period of time making badges (if known), badges made (as known), plus???

Cef Badge Makers
 

CEF BADGE MAKERS

The CEF had badges made by many manufacturers and suppliers. The names of the makers can be found on the back of some badges, but unfortunately not every badge was marked. Some brief comments on the manufacture of badges. The vast majority of badges were usually made by die striking, while some badges were made by casting. The metals used varied. Many CEF badges were made of copper with a wide range of finishes. (blackened, pickled, etc.) Other metals encountered are brass, white metal, bronze, and silver (usually associated with officer's badges). Gilted or gold washes, "frosting" (silver or gold) and "fire gilt" are finishes also found. A few badges have enamel inserts added.

Fasteners are another area of interest and important to help establish authenticity. These include lugs (loops fastened to the badge with a type of wire pin passing through the holes), both round and flat styles, tang back (pointed metal blades that fold over), pin backs, screw posts (threaded posts with a nut), and sliders (a metal blade on the vertical used to slide into a pocket or slit in the headdress). Others may have some other varieties to add.


Some makers have a definite regional association, while others appear to have supplied badges to all and sundry. Below is a list of known makers. The name on the badge may not exactly match the style of the name in the list. Additional variations of the maker names are not always found on badges by that maker. Please note the date of the latest edit at the bottom of the post. The list is arranged alphabetically, using the makers last name. Samples of maker marks courtesy of Larry Wills are attached as thumbnails.

Canadian makers.

Ash Bros.
O.B. Allan, O.B. ALLAN VANCOUVER (There may be another maker "Allen", note the different spelling.)
J.D.Bailey
Birks, Birks 1916, Birks Regd 1916
D.E.Black
M.S. Brown
Caron Fils (or Bros), (CAR Bros 1916), Caron Frères 1916 Montréal
Chauncey Maybees
F.W.Coates
Cook
Creightons
Crighton
C & S Co.
Dingley
Dingwall
Ellis Bros, P.W.Ellis & Co. Ltd., Ellis Bros Toronto,
J.R. Gaunt & Son Ltd (Montreal)
G.F. Hemsley
R.J. Inglis
J & Co
J.C. Rondeau Quebec
Jacoby
Jackson (JACKSON BROS, CENTRAL ALBERTA CANADA or JACKSON BROS EDMONTON ALTA)
Kinnear & Desterre, KINNEAR & D’ESTERRE KINGSTON 1915
E.V. Lamontagne Limited
Geo H. Lees, Geo H.Lees & Co. (note this mark was found on a collar with ELLIS BROS marking as well.), Geo H. Lees & Co 1916
Lees & Creighton
Maybees
Patterson Bros
Reynolds/Port Hope
Roden Bros
Rosenthal (H ROSENTHAL / TORONTO)
Ryrie Bros Ltd (Toronto)
SAR & D'BSTERRY. KINGS/1915 (unsure of spelling)
Wm Scully (with variations on the name)
Stanley & Aylward (Stanley & Aylward Toronto)
Wellings, Wellings Mfg Co Toronto
Wheatley


US makers.

No US makers on record for CEF badges. Service Supply Company, Service Supply Rochester is a British maker.

UK makers.

Brown
W.J. Dingley B'Ham
Firmin & Son
J.R. Gaunt & Son Ltd
Goldsmith & Silversmiths Company Ltd (frequently seen as G & S Co, or THE G&S Co / 112 REGENT ST/ LONDON)
Hicks, Hicks & Sons London
Hill Brothers Bond St London (CMGC officer's cap and collar badges, with or without Canada scrolls added)
R. LillicoReiche
McDougall / LONDON
Reich Folkestone
Service Supply Company, Service Supply Rochester
Smith & Wright
Tait & Co.
Tiptaft
Wm. Twigg & Co. (27th Battalion)

Identified as C/x collar number maker.

Chapman Bros. Toronto. (C/3)


Identified as button makers.

Hicks & Sons Leadenhall ST. London (1st Bn CEF button)
H. Rosenthal, Toronto
Meer Jones, Birmingham, UK
R.J. Inglis, Winnipeg & Montreal
Roden Bros, Toronto
Smith, Kemp & Wright, Birmingham, UK
Buttons Ltd


There are more to be added to this list. In addition, many officers had badges made by jewellers, who added their maker name on the badges.
Information is based upon the Charlton Standard Catalogue of First World War Canadian Infantry Badges, W.K. Cross , input from other collectors, and from dealers.

See Also the King's Crown Maker Mark LIST further in the string.
MORE MAKER MARK IMAGES LATER IN THIS STRING. See Maker Marks Pt 2 and Pt 3

Excellent list Bill, certainly a lot of work went into this. I see you have Roden Brothers noted under button manufacturers, however they also made badges. I have a WWI General List badge made by them.

I missed that one Cliff. Thanks. Roden made several badges I believe. They sure made a lot of the general list badges.

a couple more
 

McKenzie Clay (Winnipeg)
"PMP Ltd" (Vancouver); made the Pacific Coast Militia badges

PMP is Pressed Metal Products Ltd. of Vancouver. They are still in business making all sorts of badges and medals, including the Commanders Cross of the Order of Canada!

Cheers,

Greg

A correction?
 

I think the manufacturer O.B. Allen is actually spelled Allan? Out of Vancouver, they made many of the Western CEF badges. Railway Service Guards for one...
http://mpmuseum.org/boards/rsg.jpg
http://mpmuseum.org/boards/rsg1.jpg
http://mpmuseum.org/boards/rsg1a.jpg

Allen or Allan?
 

Thanks John. I will add the note to the original list. I am not sure that there were not two makers by the name of Allan/Allen? For now I will use the Allan with a note that there maybe another with the different spelling.
David, the initial list I posted was a CEF list. I am going to start a second list for 1920-1953 period badges, and a third list for 1953-current badges. I will do that in separate postings so they will be focused on that era.
David, did the Mackenzie Clay company make CEF badges? And, the same question for PMP? Greg notes that they are still working today.
Greg, do they make badges for the CF?

King's Crown Badge Makers
 

This posting will be a list of the badge makers of Canadian badges, focusing on the 1920-1952 or king's crown period. Little research has been done in this area, and this list is under construction. Unlike WW1, there were far fewer makers of Canadian badges in WW2. Note: List is alphabetical based upon the makers last name.

Please note the date of the latest edit at the bottom of this post.

1. O.B.Allan
2. Allied Agencies & Lackie Manufacturing Co. (Toronto). (Osgoode Hall COTC contingent badges.)
3. J.D. Bailey & Company Toronto (First issue Toronto Scottish badges, 1922.)
4. Birks (Montreal) (Badges made by Birks include Canadian Provost Corps, Algonquin Regiment, South Saskatchewan Regiment, Lorne Scots (cap & collars 1940), Sault Ste Marie and Sudbury Regiment (1938), Royal Canadian Dragoons, Royal Canadian Engineers (1945 run).
5. Birks Made in England
6. Breadners (Ottawa and Hull Quebec) (Lorne Scots shoulder titles 1940)(Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps 1941)(PPCLI voided pattern 1950)(RCE 1943-1945)
7. Canadian General Rubber Co. Ltd. (Canadian Parachute Corps plastic badges, RCE, RCOC, & other Canadian plastic badges?)
8. Caron et Frères (70 Régt de Hull worn into the 1920's)
9. Ellis Bros. (taken over by Birks in 1928)
10. J.R.Gaunt including:
    JR GAUNT B'HAM
    JR GAUNT LONDON
    JR GAUNT MONTREAL
    JR GAUNT MONTREAL / MADE IN ENGLAND
    (Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regt), 1940. Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment 1941.)
    
11. Goldsmith & Siliversmith Co (VIII Recce 14CH badges)
12. Hemsley Montreal (some PEI Light Horse)
13. Hicks & Sons London
14. Hobson's (a supplier or a maker?)
15. Jacoby Brothers (Seaforth Highlanders of Canada imperial pattern circa 1935)
16. Lackie Toronto (VIII Hussars C 17)
17. George H.Lees Company Ltd. (seen as Geo.H.Lees Coy) Hamilton. (Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (without Wentworth) 1935)
18. Mackenzie Clay (Winnipeg) (Manitoba Volunteer Reserve)
19. PMP (Vancouver)for Pressed Metal Products, reading PMP VAN BC or PMP Ltd Vancouver (BC Hussars cap and collars, 1935)
20. Roden Bros or Roden (Canadian Parachute Corps brass badges, Canadian Infantry Corps badges)
21. Ryrie Bros (Toronto) (amalgamated with Birks 1924) (Simcoe Foresters 1921)
22. Scully (Montreal) including:
    W SCULLY
    SCULLY LTD MONTREAL
    W SCULLY LTD MONTREAL
    
    Scully's were the principal makers of Canadian badges during the Second World War. (Cadet Services of Canada, from 1925; Governor General's Horse Guards 1941; McMaster University.)
    
    Note: In an email from Will Scully of the same firm, he indicated that during WW2 the firm used whatever punch or die was available for badge marking. Thus any style may be found on the badges. After the war the contracts went to the lowest bidder, and the maker mark was usually dropped as a cost cutting measure. Current contracts require that the date be added to the run. For collectors, modern Canadian Forces cap badges will now have a maker mark and date stamp on the slider or badge. Early CF examples are found without maker names or dates.
    
23. Service Supply London (Toronto Scottish marked Service Supy London)
24. Stephenson Osher Coy (Montreal) (Sault Ste Marie & Sudbury Regiment and Algonquin Regiment, Corps of Military Staff Clerks, cap and collars Prince Albert Volunteers 1942).
25. T. Miles London (found with a Sterling mark on a VIII Recce cast badge) also found a Calgary Highlanders cast badge

Bill,

Excellent thread idea.

Perhaps a Pre-1914 list is in order as well? I have a couple that come to mind for that period.

CEF:

1. MacDougall - London made some CEF badges. I know of both 42nd Bn and 85th Bn Officers' patterns made by them. See also my post on my 5th RHC officers glengarry badge.

KC:

1. PMP should be in this section I think. I don't know them to have made any CEF items.


2. Roden Also produced KC-period badges.

I know there are more...will post more as I remember. Will look over some buttons and add to that list as well.

Cheers,

Adam

re Mckenzie Clay
 

Bill:

Trying to find an answer as to whether MC manufactured CEF badges, I was looking through some old auction catalogues.

I couldn't find anything noted as "McKenzie Clay"; however, I did find several others you may be interested in, as I don't think they are on your list:

- 112th Bttn Nova Scotia officers, "M.S. Brown" maker marked
- RCD officers, tangs, "J & Co."
- 57th Battery Quebec veteran's pins, "Trophy Craft" and "Seifert"
- 11th Bttn Saskatchewan, "Reich Folkestone"
- 136th Bttn Durham County, "Reynolds/Port Hope"
- a variation? 229th Bttn Moose Jaw, "Lees & Creighton"

As for Roden, "Canada" titles marked "Roden 1916", so they can get moved out of your 'buttons' list I guess.

Further info...
 

David, The RCD badge, what time period is that one? And Trophy Craft and Seifert were makers of veterans' pins only?

Pre-1914 Makers
 

Adam asked to start a string for pre-1914 badges, so this message will start that maker list. I don't have a lot of material from that era, so help me out guys. (Sheesh, now I spend more time looking at the back of badges than admiring the obverse.)
Makers are listed alphabetically by their last name.

1. GAUNT 53 Conduit St London
2. J.R. Gaunt London
3. J.R. Gaunt Montreal
4. J.R. Gaunt Montreal / MADE IN ENGLAND
5. Hicks & Sons London
6. Wm. Scully

re RCD and Trophy Craft
 

Bill:

The catalogue description for the "J & Co." RCD badge reads, "Officer's, bronze, WW1 issue. Heavy well made, Royal Canadian Dragoons, one of three folding lugs remaining, Maker Marked J & CO on the smooth back... These badges in Bronze where (sic) WW1 issue, as this badge usually in brass."

As for the vet pins, the lot description reads like both battery pins are either vet pins or sweetheart pins: "both small colored enamel pins, screw posts...".

These are both from Marway's #112 sale, and that catalogue is still online.
http://www.marway-militaria.com/auction_112.htm

There is a pic of the RCD badge, which is quite different from the usual 'balled' horn -- very antelope-ish antelope, with lots of detailing and scribed horns.
http://www.marway-militaria.com/112_5.JPG

Sweetheart pins...
 

Thank-you David, ammendment to the list has been made.

Now, an important question. Do we include sweetheart pin makers in the badge makers list? (Some are one and the same.) Or, are we into another list? Perhaps a string could be started on the Sweetheart Vets sub-board? My preference for now is to stick to badge makers.

I do not ever end to thank you for this list ..... bravo Bill+++++++++++++++++

Bill A,
I must congratulate you Bill on a super piece of work that will be an aid to old and new in our badge community.
Well done,
Regards
Bantam

Just a note on materials used in CEF badges. The main material used was BRONZE second brass with a few copper finished ones. Hemesley was famous for their pickle finish over bronze.

Kings Crown Badge Makers
 

An addition to the list (Name as on badge)
W SCULLY
SCULLY LTD MONTREAL
W SCULLY LTD MONTREAL
JR GAUNT B'HAM
JR GAUNT LONDON
JR GAUNT MONTREAL
HICKS & SONS LONDON
PMP VAN BC
BIRKS
MADE IN ENGLAND

pRE-1914 Makers
 

So far the only one I have to add to the list is:

GAUNT 53 Conduit St London

Clarification
 

Larry, Just to confirm, the names in your king's crown list are for the 20 -53 badges?

Maker Marks
 

Hi Bill!

Yes the Kings Crown Maker Marks are for the 20-53 period.

Did you notice the pre-1914 Maker Mark. Neat!! first one I have run across with an address. It is stamped on a little "plate" afixed to the back of the badge.

Clarification #2
 

Hi Larry, editing done on the kc list. Please check and confirm that the Birks Made in England is the correct naming?
Sorry, to which pre-1914 maker plate are you referring?

Confirmation on Makers Mark
 

The badge with the "BIRKS" has a small additional plate that has "MADE IN ENGLAND" as its inscription. The "BIRKS" is stamped on the badge.

The Maker mark with the address is on my Pre-1914 post on page two (2) of this string. It is on a Officers 29th Waterloo Regiment Canada Badge.

THE 229 SHOULDER I currently listed on ebay is maker marked CRIGHTON
MOOSEJAW. IF this is a new maker or different spelling I don't know but had it under magnification and that is all correct.

hi
a couple of maple leaf badges just picked up in a big lot of badges.
after reading this thread i looked on the back and found a manufacturer on each. they are also dated? is this common and why was it done?
BC

Marking badges
 

Paul, thanks for the additional maker, list has been edited. I wonder if Crighton and Creighton may be the same maker? Does anyone have a badge with Creighton on it?
Badgecollector, the naming of badges is fairly common. Referring to the Scully research above, the makers marked their badges, but not all of them that were produced by that maker. There is more research to be done in this area. It also varied depending on the time period. The vast majority of Canadian WW2 badges appear to have been made by Scully, but only a few seem to be marked.
The dating issue is another question. It appears that Ellis Bros and a few other makers dated their badges during WW1. This may have been a contract requirement. (Again, see the note above, reference Scully. Modern Canadian badges made since the early 80's have a year on them somewhere.) The majority of Canadian badges, CEF and king's crown, were not maker marked or dated, so this is somewhat conjecture. More research may add to this.

More CEF makers
 

A new Marway catalogue, so a few more names to add (possibly) to the CEF list.

Re the Crighton/Creighton question, there are a couple of E210 Moose Jaw badges that are described as marked "Creigton's". Maybe no one at that shop could spell or knew who they worked for, or maybe a typo on the catalogue, as there is an E229 badge described as marked "Creighton's", but I'll send Marway's a note asking for sure.

The following, though, I think are new names:
E59a Brockville marked "SAR & D'BSTERRY. KINGS/1915"
E146 Frontenac marked "KINNEAR D'ESTEN" (?)
E163 Montreal marked "E.V. LAMONTAGENE LIMITED"

As for naming varieties, we get "JACKSON BROS, CENTRAL ALBERTA CANADA" on an E151 Alberta (must be one honking huge badge or very, very small type).

Finally, a favourite if only because I have one, the 1909-1911 pattern Strathcona's Horse Royal Canadian (no "Lord"), maker marked "Caron Bros 1916" (mine actually looks like "CAR & Bros 1916"). An obsolete pattern made and issued in WW1 and, if my guess is correct, worn in WW2 where it was traded to a British soldier in North Africa in 1943.

CEF MAKER MARKS Pt 2
 

Additional maker marks, CEF era. Images courtesy of Larry Wills.

CEF MAKER MARKS Pt 3
 

Additional maker marks images. Courtesy of Larry Wills.

re Crighton's
 

Got an answer from Jaime at Marway's regarding the maker marks on the Crighton badges in their upcoming auction.

Here is her note, in brief:

"On All three badges, the makers stamp is quite faint, but I make out CRIGHTON'S with no E. T275 shows the best markings, the other badges are quite faint. I wonder if it's a typo in Charlton, I've attached a picture... . You're welcome to use it on the forum if you want."

As it appears all three in the current sale are marked "Crighton's" (or "Crichton's", which is what it looks like to me), her question about the correct spelling and Charlton may be accurate. Question now is, does anyone actually have a badge with the mark spelled as "Creighton's", or one with a clear 'G' as opposed to a 'C', for that matter?

My thanks to Jaime for this info, as with the upcoming show circuit and sale I know she's busy.

More CEF makers
 

The CEF badge manufacturer mentioned by DavidS is Kinnear d'Esterre, a jeweller in Kingston that finally closed up shop in Kingston about five years ago. As shown by the evidence, they did manufacture CEF badges, but their later activities were mostly in the area of making Royal Military College-related badges and jewellry.
Wyn

I'm sure you guys already know about these books but I thought I would post them anyway.

The Charlton Standard Catalogue of
First World War Canadian Infantry Badges. by W.K.Cross

The Charlton Standard Catalogue of
First World War Canadian Corps Badges. by W.K. Cross

These are two really good books. They show the badge, alot of the collars, type of finish ie: pickled etc, along with the manufacturers and the going price. About 8 years back I picked up an arm band with a bunch of badges on it. I bought it for the British badges on it, about 15 of them. It had a Canadian badge on it. At the time I knew nothing about Canadian badges so I gave it to a collector friend. About 2 years later I bought the books mentioned above. As it turns out the badge was in the book. The badge was, as I recall a
"1st Trench Mortar Battery badge". I looked it up in the book and promptly choked on my coffee. The badge listed for around $200.00 I paid $15.00 for the lot. Needless to say I now identify EVERY badge before I give it away, trade it or sell it. A lesson learned "The Hard Way" :o

Cheers, Michael

I have a 81st badge marked on the rear

Ryrie Bros Ltd.

Based in Montreal I am reliably told. Were they listed on this thread. If so I missed them

Regards

TRT

Thanks TRT. List has been edited.

I just went through all my 229th badges and find they are all marked CRIGHTONS MOOSEJAW SASK . But here is the kicker they are all also marker
marked GEO H. LEES & SON 1915 THUS MAKING Crighton a distributer through the jewelry shop only

J.R. Gaunt Montreal.
 

I found this badge from the CEF 198th the Buffs...

I tought it was from Britain at first!

Then I saw this.

J.R. Gaunt Montreal

See the mark below.

That one is also missing from the CEF images on the frontpage.

Maker's mark on the back of the "167e Bataillon Canadien Francais F.E.C."

"Caron Frères 1916 Montréal"

Voilà.

Queen's Crown Maker Marks
 

Jaime Cline emailed me with a maker mark from a queen's crown sterling silver PPCLI cap badge. Does anyone have more information about the maker PB LTD?
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...marway2008.jpg

Hi TRT,are sure about the name Ryrie Bros Ltd? I have access to Montreal's City Directories for the period 1914-1920 and they are not there. Also the 81st CEF was recruited in Toronto.
Cheers
Jo