[DavidS]

Given the long list of items on offer in Bondy's catalogue, I'm curious as to how many actually got cranked out, how many were one-offs he may have intended to make more of if he had had interest, and even whether or not some were made at all.

I have what I am convinced is his King's Own Rifles repro: flat back, browned, cast Cu or brass.

I suspect both the Argyll Light Infantry and Argyll Tanks repros out there are his, although I haven't seen his supposed "nickle plate" ALI. I've also seen a single flat-back, cast Saskatchewan Civil Security Corps badge, very similar appearance to my KOR, so that was probably his as well.

Beyond that, though, and thinking that maybe the unmarked reunion-type 8th Recce (like the Scully badge but with no maker mark) is a Bondy product, I can't say with any certainty I've come across anything else from his list.

I've seen three BC Women's Automobile Association badges, all of which were die-struck and identical, so either they are all Bondy repros or none of them are. I know of two Prince Rupert MG repros -- one very nicely made, but with a big "COPY" on the back, and another, poorer quality version -- but either type are few and far between (showing up maybe once or twice in the last 2-3 years that I recall).

I've seen faked buckled Cape Breton Highlanders, but these are cobbled early overlays/later base pieces, not remakes, so are they Bondy's? My guess is no.

I've heard Bondy especially liked to repro sterling officers' badges. Given they were so obscure to start with he could probably float them pretty easily. I've heard the Princess of Wales's Own officer type was one of his. I was also told the 'hallmarks' were part of the molds, not stamped, so it was one way to tell his repros from legitimate badges. Subsequently, I've seen two PWOR silver officer's badges, both different and both with stamped hallmarks, so probably neither was a Bondy repro.

Surely if his reproductions were out there in any numbers at all, folks would run across them with some frequency, so is the paper threat greater than the danger of actually getting stuck with one?

If other people know or suspect they have a Bondy repro, it would be more than a bit interesting to see photos posted & stories told.

Another suggestion I'd like to make is that every time one of us pass along a known reproduction, like an Argyll LI or Argyll Tanks, we engrave it first on the back as "Repro No. XXX". It would be kind of neat to see where these things go, much like writing your initials on a $5 bill or painting nail polish on a quarter. Who knows? Maybe after a couple of years we'd see only the same eight or ten repops circling about like a bad smell after a fart.