Hello Mark
Many thanks for the reply, and for taking time to look at the badge; which I really appreciate. I have a few of these Firmin Leicesters badges now, and have been studying them to try and work out a possible rough chronology. It is my current belief that the earliest of these Firmin maker’s type were produced
without braze holes, but that their use was introduced shortly afterwards. The fact that your Leicesters does not have them helps towards confirming my thoughts on this, and that it has a good chance, therefore, of having been worn during the Boer War. I did actually make a posting about this particular maker’s variant back in 2010
here, when I was beginning to formulate my views on them but at which time I was yet to identify them as the Firmin type.
Anyway, on the use of braze holes, I would personally say that the general rule that badges without braze holes are more recent in date than those that do have them is still correct; especially where restrikes and repros are concerned. However it would seem that this axiom is not as clear cut as might be thought, and that things can vary according to manufacturer. I have a feeling that some makers continued to use braze holes over a long period, whilst others used them for a time then stopped doing so, and yet others never used them. Unfortunately I am not able to make any authoritative pronouncement on the use of braze holes, but certainly where the Firmin made Leicestershire Regiments badges are concerned it would appear to be the case that their very earliest ones did
not have them.
Best regards
Martin