['Ticker' Riley]

Hello Julian

Many thanks for sharing your thoughts on the pin/rivet construction of officers’ S&G badges, and posting the very nice Kings’ example you have with the bent over pins. It was interesting to read how you think some makers, such as Ludski/Ludlow, continued to use the bent over style when other makers had moved onto the neater finish with flush rivets. This would suggest that you think the bent over pins are perhaps an earlier way of fixing, with the more flush finished pins/rivets eventually taking over and being used by the majority of manufacturers? When I said I thought such a change could be chronological, I should have said that it might not necessarily be something that would be adopted by all makers at the same time. Indeed, if we are looking at a change like this, it could be some makers chose to continue to use the older way of fixing for much longer. I did say I don’t know which of the two methods is earlier, but my feeling, and at the moment it is really just that, would be the bent over style was used first, but it might well not be as simple as that!!

As to Dean’s new S&G Leicesters badge from South Africa, I’m afraid I would personally disagree with you about it being a theatre made badge. I can, however, appreciate what you are saying about the way it is finished suggesting something like this, especially given the large gap on the body of the badge behind the bottom title. Then there is the lack of definition on the title scrolls, especially the ‘Hindoostan’, but this could still be just excessive wear. I am actually quite happy that it is more than likely made by one of the main English cap badge makers, and that it is perhaps early twentieth century in date; though maybe not as early as the Boar War. This brings me on to your ‘hybrid’ Kings S&G badge, which really is a lovely example. I am under the impression that one English manufacture in particular appears to have produced officer’s badges of varying quality, at least where Leicestershire Regiment ones are concerned, and this was Jennens & Co. I have seen some of their Leicesters badges which are of a very high quality, but others that have been quite roughly finished by comparison, particularly from the back. It was interesting to me in this respect, therefore, to note that the horse of your ‘hybrid’ S&G is very similar indeed to the “J.R.Gaunt London / Late Jennens” marked OSD and S&G badges in your ‘Kings Regiment (Liverpool) 1926-1950’ album.

Best regards

Martin