Very interesting thread and I'd like to chuck in a couple of observations.
One thing which really strikes me about the Essex badge is the amount of voiding down the side of the castle bastions. I've gone through every one in my collection, regulars, 'economies' including an (excavated) all brass 8th, other TA's and I don't have one like. The laurels are all joined to the crenellations of the outer bastion or just below it.
I'd like to see a picture of the front though to see the quality of the stamping of the overlays because the one I've attached scans of is really let down by these. This isn't the one in my collection, it's a spare which I'm glad I've hung onto. The lettering is larger than normal and slightly mis-struck removing more at the bottom with the overlay sitting a little lower than necessary although the scan tends to accentuate this more by the badge being curved but the sphinx is beautifully struck though. As for the rear, similar smooth backing but in this case compared to Matti's the vertical shank has a crimp line and the tip less rounded but doesn't narrow from top to bottom.
I've no problem at all with the Middlesex although I have a looped and shanked one of each in my collection. Both have sweatholes of different shapes and location but I've yet to see a 10th with them and I think I'm safe in saying the general concensus of a genuine 'Pals' also being devoid of them is now accepted? As has been pointed out three battalions wore this SA honour badge which during wartime is a lot of badges. Alan Owen's mention of a version with an overlaid scroll is an exception even taking regulars' badges into account so another maker was certainly employed in this case.
Alan in the past has (quite correctly in my opinion) stated that the 5th-7th Essex stopped wearing the SA scroll badge and instead wore the scrolless badge of the 8th. The plain badge is abundent compared to the rarer scrolled version so with four Battalions wearing it surely outside makers would have been employed using whatever methods necessary.
I have no interest (so to speak in collecting terms) in the South Lancs badge but it's similarity in construction and quality of manufacture and detail leads me to think that it's a really good badge and one I would be happy with.....unless and this is the case in point with my Essex one (and 10th Middlesex) an example with sweatholes became available. I know it's hedging but that's why my collection changed and I never get around to framing things. The South Lancs is very typical of many if not all examples I remember seeing of this badge. Maybe sweatholed versions exist, I'd be suprised if they don't, but I don't remember seeing them purely through ignorance of not being in my subject of collecting and I'm sure the subject has been raised here before without a definitive answer.
To sum up there are certain things I like to see in badges, mainly sweatholes and a certain type of vertical shank or loop. For the former there are exceptions and as these are found on rare badges such as the Middlesex and East Surrey Wandsworth 'Pals' then I see no reason why contemporary TA badges should be any different.
Vertical shanks are more of a problem though and it really needs a study along the likes of Hagwalthers' anodized shanks and loops to nail down who made what. It's not easy becasue I've tried with my own collection. Some are obvious, the early Tiptaft and Woodward WW1 versions but when it comes to the plainer versions then it's anyone's guess.
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