My new RCR finds maker mark I.D. needed
 

Hi Everyone

I was happy to acquire some nice new (to me) pieces for my meager RCR collection which I wished to share. I have shown these to Mike (Regimental Rouge) who I show any finds I am wanting a second opinion on and he confirmed my first impressions and again give my thanks to him.

The following pieces as told to me part of the estate of Lt-Col J.A. Kaye who served with the Regiment from 1898 to 1920. He was a Lieut. with the Regiment in South Africa getting the QSA with four clasps.

The first item was a Infantry School Corps Officer collar white metal star with a gilded overlay. It was converted to a lapel pin.

Second is a 1894 pattern officers three piece badge which had the lugs removed and a pin added. Mike mentioned that officers had the pins added when in use with the Wolseley Helmet so not to put holes in the helmet.

Lastly is a three piece 1894 pattern lapel pin silver, gold, silver. i suspect the piece is Canadian made due to the lack of hallmarks the only one being the initials "BN" in a rectangle. The detail of this pin is excellent and anyone knowing the mark please let me know it would be nice to find out where it was made or sold.

Comments are welcome thanks for looking
Stephen

Stephen.... if these quality badges are in your meagre collection I wonder what your medium and large colletions must look like... Those RCR's are pretty advanced stuff for the rest of us mortals.... thanks for posting.... Jim

Hi Jim

My main interest is in the Great War mainly the 25th Battalion which is somewhat extensive I have lesser collections of 85th Battalion and RCR which were the three fighting battalions as well as the other troops headquartered in Nova Scotia during WW1. I mainly collect medals and use badges to add color to displays I have about 10 groups to the R.C.R. and half of these are officers which was why I was happy to land this lot. I also have a divisional patched officers tunic also WW1 period as well as a badged and painted divisional patched helmet to the regiment. I am looking for any great war examples of insignia I do not have.

I consider Mike's RCR collection extensive one hard to surpass As for my recently bought pieces being advanced I really got lucky on the weekend I rarely ever see this stuff myself other then in other collections.

Thanks for your comments
Stephen

BM, Birks Montreal???

Rgds,
fougasse1940.

Hi fougasse1940

I am afraid I have made a error with the initials of the maker or Jeweler it should read "BN" in the rectangle. I am sorry for any confusion this may have caused and I will amend my original post.

Thanks for looking
Stephen

And I'm jealous too. If you ever need a kidney perhaps we can do a trade.

Sorry I can't help on the maker's marks. It's a new one to me and it doesn't seem to show up in the usual on-line searches. The piece is unique enough it could be a "family jeweler" piece and "one of." Like the gold-plated blazer buttons in my collection, it may have been a contracted item well after retirement and may not match any of the regular firms we usually see among us.

Hi Mike

I am getting older so you never know when these things will start failing :)

When I do decide to dispose of anything I have to the regiment I will give you first crack. One thing I am after is a other ranks WW1 divisional patched tunic I would have thought I would have seen one by now with all the boys going to the regiment from this area.

I rather suspect it is a jewelers mark rather then a silver smith and the lack of other markings leads me to suspect it is likely made in Canada. I have checked a number of references on marks with no luck.

If everything is correct about the origin of the lapel pin Kaye according to the history Kaye served in Ontario, Quebec, was in south Africa, Bermuda and went as far as the U.K. as second in command serving in England only he would have also spent a little time in Halifax before going overseas. The pin I suppose could have been mad in any of these places

Stephen

"Military Sweetheart Jewelry III" By Pamela M. Caunt p. 47: "Makers' Marks on silver 'sweethearts' in this book" lists a BN as Benjamin Ninnes, Birmingham, Date first registered: 1892.

Rgds,
fougasse1940.

Hi fougasse1940.

I would have not have guessed a British maker normally their pins are so well hallmarked . I have a silver 25th Battalion Sweetheart pin that was made in the U.K. forget the maker at the moment but it has all the city, date and silver marks. I also have a sterling RCR officers collar made in 1913 marked the same. Most Canadian pieces are poorly marked if at all normally just the maker is shown or sometime it may have a sterling mark. It would appear he may have picked it up while he had served in the U.K. during WW1. This is great thank you for taking the time to look it up for me.

Thanks Again
Stephen

Maybe yours is of a lesser purity than Sterling silver, or even plated. Apart from that, Bejamin Ninnes might not have been the maker, it just was the only thing I could find.

Rgds,
fougasse1940.

Hi fougasse1940

I will keep it in mind that Bejamin Ninnes may not be the maker but so far is in the only one that matches and he started about the right time period. The badge has been polished and I see no signs of it being plated the seller checked the overlay and it was gold so I would think it would be a fairly good quality silver. Thanks for the suggestions

Stephen