Bi-metal Borders?
 

Anyone see this badge on UK ebay, bi-metal Border Regt? Fake? Never saw one before!

if you talk about this ?:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WW1-Cap-Badge-...QQcmdZViewItem

never see bicolore borders before :rolleyes: .....

only 4 holes (in the dragon....not good must have 5) . the back side isnt very nice for me ......no little metal for the red cloth behind (look the back side of my w/m badge )...crown no voided ...!

result : i dont put money for this :D

my borders
w/m from my grand father (genuine 100%, but not in good condition, crown broken , china and dragoon used !!). cast economie (genuine ? 50% only)

It is not bimetal but a brass badge that has been nickel plated and the nickel has worn off from the front. An identical one (less the nickel plate) is shown in Wilkinsons book as a 1916 economy. However some of his descriptions are plain wrong.

I have seen an identical one described by a border collector as a 1916 economy, subsequently withdrawn and plated post war for re-issue. But that it hard to imagine and the chap's judgement was in question especially as he thought that one of Taxicars Border militia badge was the genuine article (despite the fact it has too many titles removed!).

It is odd that the badge has the voided front to display the red backing but then fails to put in the retaining strip to hold the backing in place. If it was not for its appearance in Wilkinsons book then I would dismiss it as an old fake. I don't think it is 1916 economy but neither do I think that it was an official WD sealed pattern badge.

Alan

what about this one. only three holes in the middle. crown voided, Made from steel, (strongly magnetic) nickel plated, which is peeling away at the crown and one of the points. This nickel plate is thick - you aint going to polish this away in a hurry. (see bottom pic for thickness) economy?? or nasty copy?

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/images2/border1.JPG

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/images2/border2.JPG

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/images2/border3.JPG

It looks Ok but for the way it has been voided. The 3 holes are a pattern replicated on the common fakes (almost as it they have been drilled rather than cut out). I have an example with the w/m retaining strip so I know that this is OK and they were not always made in brass.

The fact it is brass underneath is very odd. It also differs from the supposed 'economy' version in that the crown is voided.

Alan