Hi Wayne
Looks like you have a nice little collection of Leicesters badges here, but I’m afraid you’re rather testing my present knowledge to the limits! Although I have examples of all of these myself, bar the marked Smith & Wright one, I’m sorry to say I haven’t yet been able to ascribe makers to these particular manufacturers’ types. As far as the badges themselves are concerned, I don’t believe any of the ones you’ve shown are restrikes or repros, though I do have my concerns about the first one.
Some time ago Paul (wardog) posted a similar Leicesters TF badge up
here, though admittedly the slider on his was not the same as yours. Nevertheless, the badge is the exact same makers’ type. As I pointed out in my own
posting to that thread, this same design type comes with a ‘tabbed-on’ top scroll as a regulars’ badge. It is because of this that I am always suspicious when I see ones of these territorials badges, as it maybe that it has merely lost its ‘Hindoostan’ scroll. I have personally, therefore, avoided buying one of these, especially as being a TF badge they generally cost more than an ordinary Leicesters ORs one does. As you say, your example does have a nice patina, and could well date from the Great War, despite not having sweat-holes. Obviously Lew Shotton thought it was a genuine territorials badge, but I’m afraid I remain a little sceptical myself. If photographic evidence could be found of this type being worn during the correct period then that would certainly change my mind, but so far I have not personally seen any. If the badge was mine, I would have it down as a possible TF badge rather than a probable. For me, at the moment, the authentic ones are mainly the Smith & Wright type, as in tommytbag’s posting
here, though I’d be happy with a couple of other ones I’ve seen as well (more on these another time perhaps).
The second and third badges you have look like the same makers’ type as each other, and are also like the very first Leicesters badge I bought, which I posted to the Forum
here. Mine does not have sweat-holes, and I was advised that it was probably not First World War period, as I had been told when I bought it, but rather from the Second World War. Although at the time I was a complete beginner, I think that assessment is probably still the most likely. Given both your examples do have sweat-holes, I think yours are much more likely to be from the Great War or the inter-war period. Is that a service number I can see scratched onto the slider of one of them? Might be worth trying to trace the soldier it refers to, as this could well give a date for the badge?
The fourth badge is what I understand is called the ‘kitten-faced’ type, and looks to be a nice example. These tend to come with different sized sweat-holes, which I suspect could represent a chronological change in production and so indicate different periods of manufacture - unfortunately as of yet I am still working on that little theory!! Your all-brass/gilding metal economy issue is indeed a variant to the normal ones, but I am happy that this too is genuine. All the examples I have seen of this type, which isn’t as common as the ‘kitten-faced’ version, have all exhibited authentic signs of being Great War period badges - at least in my opinion that is. Interestingly, whilst the other manufacturers’ types I have seen also crop up as bi-metal badges, I have only, so far, seen this one as an economy strike.
Finally, your Smith & Wright badge - firstly it is good to see a marked example confirming my thoughts on this particular makers’ type. It is also intriguing to note that it looks to have been gilded (or gold washed) at some point? Interesting too is that its top ‘Hindoostan’ scroll has not been applied to an equivalent brass section of the badge itself, as is the norm with this maker, but rather ‘tacked’ on to the tiger’s back - possibly indicating this could have been converted from a TF badge into a regular’s one? I have seen other examples like this, so perhaps one could tentatively put a post-1917 date to such a badge, given it was from 1917 onwards that territorial regiments were allowed to wear badges with the same honours as the regulars (see this
posting). This on the assumption that the actual manufacturer made the conversion in order to adjust stock to the change in regulations? I think that’s about all I can say really - sorry I can’t give you as comprehensive a reply as you’d hoped, but I trust at least some of the above is of interest?
Best regards
Martin