Appreciate the input from both of you.
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Originally Posted by btns
It was common to use an engraving machine which cuts a die by manually tracking a large plaster or wooden sample mould. If possible parts of such a mould would be retrieved from the stores and reused. I doubt if anyone ever bothered to look at such minor details as the number of pearls.
I think it may be possible to identify manufacturers by comparing common items such as crowns on different badges. They do not even have to be the same size, but the details must be identical.
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As the badges were made about 14 years after the 'sealed pattern' was introduced and the fact that the 'nine pearl' crown was the standard for the official OWS badges they should have had the correct mould ?
Edit :There are examples with 9 and 10 pearls which would indicate that different moulds were used.
I would have thought that manufacturers would have taken note of the instruction that "all other patterns are to be abolished" , especially as it was the King's wish.
NB. From the official War Office letter :
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others are different deviations of the British Crown. His majesty now wishes one uniform Crown alone to become the sealed pattern for the Service
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The main cause of my 'confusion' is that the 'error' appears on two different badges yet the numerous manufacturers of the official enamelled 1914 badges all used the correct pattern.
PS. Regarding 'minor details' there are numerous posts/threads that refer to 'dots' that are in the wrong place , feathers that 'overlap' and other 'minor details' that identify fakes/copies.
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