Quote:
Originally Posted by GTB
So, in effect, what is being said is that the GAUNT LONDON mark was utilised by Gaunt concurrently with production of genuine and restrike buttons. In other words, the flawed letters and bluish/green finish were used for both. As Roger nicely puts it, obvious 'out of period' buttons are restrikes - no argument about it; but 'in period' buttons are fair game.
GTB
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Hello GTB
That nicely sums up my view anyway.
My theory is that Gaunt started to use a 'Gaunt London' backmark post Second World War/pre 1950, almost certainly alongside other, more detailed, backmarks but as time went on the 'Gaunt London' backmark became more common and this is the backmark found on most of their anodised buttons.
When in 1970 (or thereabouts) they agreed to restrike buttons that were no longer in use they used the old, original dies for the 'face' of the button but not the original backmark dies (which would have read something like 'J R Gaunt & Son Ltd London Eng'). Instead they used dies with the 'Gaunt London' backmark in use at that time. Quite possibly different dies were used which would explain some of the variations of backmarks on these restrikes.
I guess we may never know the full story and there will always be disagreement but I believe that to dismiss every brass 'Gaunt London' button (even with flawed letters and bluish/green finish) as a restrike is to go a step too far.
Worth remembering here that I am talking about large size buttons (1" or so) as the backmark 'system' on smaller buttons is not the same.
Roger