In 1916 the WO needed badges - there were two companies (at least) - tenders for YES about 2 million badges! Bent & Parker tendered for 12,000 Hampshire Rgt badges in GM, they put the cost would be 18/6 but they got hold of the prices from their rivals Smith & Wright (commercial espionage ???!!!). So B&P pencilled the the S&W prices next to theirs - eg the S&W priced the Hampshire order for 18/9 !
Going down the tender list the S&W prices were mostly very slightly higher - a few pence !!!
(you can do the maths ! .............. 18/6 X 12,000)
The Hampshire was a 'one piece' which was fairly easily produced.
Take the order for 7,000 Irish Fus Royal GM & GS. That was certainly more complicated. However the B&P tendered 32/- and S&W at 32/6
(PS 'GS' was the abbreviation for 'German Silver'. What we would now call it 'white metal'.)
I wish there were other badge manufacturers' tenders surviving.....
Last edited by KLR; 19-05-22 at 08:32 AM.
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