LRP Badge
 

Hi all, just for the record, one of these extremely rare badges popped up for sale the other day.May not see another in a while.
www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=2285009590&archive=1[/url]

Wow! Sold for $7050.

Mick

WOW is right
 

Amazing price, much higher than one recently sold privately in New Zealand. Also given the fact that although the one sold on Trade Me is original, it was made post the LRP unit ones. It was purchased by an non LRP Officer who visited the same jeweller. The jeweller either still had the dies, or had one or more semi finished badges post the LRP reclaiming the dies. The jeweller fitted a very different brooch and catch to the original batch made for LRP. So although definately original, that odd feature would irk specialist collectors, and cause doubt in the minds of others. Glad I purchased mine for $2500 before the demand rocketed.

Of course, there is no guarantee that when one sells something that they will recoup the money that they paid for the item.

Thanks for pointing that difference out, about the broach Craig, A very handy tip, and the difference between one worn by a member of the NZLRP and one that was not. Which is significant.

Here is a photo of the badge rear.

The different broach styles, the 2nd is guaranteed LRP issued.

Is there any evidenced base information to say that the original badges only came in one style of broach fitting?
Has anyone ever seen the whole 86 badges to do a survey of broach clips?

Sounds like the making of folklore!
Barry

To highlight that there are variations even in a badge with a very small production run have a look at page 202 of The Kiwi Scorpions by Brendan O'Corrall.
Page 202 badge shows the pin with the hook on the left.
badge shown above shows the pin with the hook on the right.
These two have the same type of broach clip.

The trade me badge has a different type of broach clip.

The hinge on these broach clips can be divided into two types.
Tubular hinge, as in the badge on TM
Circular hinge as in the badge on page 202 and the badge featured above.
Barry

Badges
 

Hi Barry

All the ones Brendan had examined from known veterans had the same fittings. As have a couple of other donated to collections from known veterans that I have examined. This one on Trade Me was purchased by a well known New Zealand Officer (later Lt. Colonel in Pacific). He confirmed to the collector of the badge who purchased it directly from him, that he had purchased this badge in Cairo after he saw other LRP badges, this was at a time after all the others had been purchased by LRP from jeweller. This badge has been in that one collection for many years until recently sold. I can state again that this NZ Armoured Officer had NO connection at all with LRP, just wanted a badge and the jeweller obliged. Similarly a known original (but again with no LRP connection exists with lugs and not brooch fitting). There is also a known "sweetheart" that the same jeweller made for a guy who sent it home to his wife, this has precious gems affixed. I am unsure of the fitting on this badge.

Must be - 1060 Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Craig Wallace, ED**, Territorial Service medal, QSM, MID.
A biography of his prewar, wartime and post war service can be found on page 255 of Waikato Troopers by Stowers.
I understand he was a collector in his own right and many of his personal uniform items are in collections today.
Barry

Just to shed some light, the picture showing the back face of the LRP badge on page 202, has had the negative reversed by mistake so the pin is the same as the others.

But I do agree, without another known LRP badge that was privately purchased by a non LRP vet, the clasp speculation is hardly definitive.

Great thread on an iconic badge, more proof of the value of this Forum.

Omok1, you caught my attention with a comment in your post above: "Similarly a known original (but again with no LRP connection) exists with lugs and not brooch fitting."

I've had the badge shown here for many years. It's clearly not one of the silver brooch-fitted LRP badges that are the subject of this thread, which I probably could never find or afford. But it seemed to me a solid, well made badge -- appears to be bronze, with copper lugs, and a silver wash that has nearly disappeared through wear. It has a faint "F & S" hallmark. Assuming it was a postwar reproduction, I kept it in my collection as a good facsimile.

A comparison to the lug-fitted original example that you cite would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
Donovan

Giving this thread a bump, to see if I can spark a continued conversation.

Regards,
Donovan