Many thanks for all the comments. I have now agreed with the seller to return the badge for a full refund. Nevertheless I thought members might be interested to know that the above badge is actually sliver plated, rather than white metal as the seller thought. I must admit I was a little suspect because of the brassy colour of the back of the badge before it arrived, and once it came it was clear that the front of the badge was also more silver in colour than a standard white metal one.
Interestingly I note that in Military Insignia of Cornwall, by D. Endean Ivall and Charles Thomas, we do have the following entries in reference to variations of the regimental cap badge:
6. Silver, hallmarked from 1902 onwards, usually Jennens or Gaunt, for officers’ dark green forage and field-service caps.
7. Silver-plate (marked ‘P’), as for no. 6.
Whilst this badge is defiantly silver plated, which has been confirmed by visits to two local jewellers and which would also I believe account for the brassy base metal, it does not carry any obvious ‘P’ mark. If it is a 1970s restrike, as apparently evidenced by the use of the 15mm J.R.GAUNT.LONDON mark, presumably it was attempting to be the silver-plated type mentioned in Military Insignia of Cornwall. Unfortunately Ivall and Thomas do not actually give a date range for the use of the silver-plated, or indeed silver, version of the badge. Anyway, thanks again to everyone for their contributions.
Regards
Martin
Last edited by 'Ticker' Riley; 26-01-09 at 09:59 PM.
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