Several corps OSD cap badges

[Markus Bodeux]

Hello gentlemen,

i have several cap badges for Officer´s Service Dress in my small corps-collection. These badges have all a different reverse than other badges, not the common die-struck "mirror"-reverse, more semi-hollow or nearly plain.
The makers had to produce a new reverse-die to produce them, but why ?
The quality of most badges is very good and i guess some are die struck, while others look casted if i look on the reverse ?
Here are five of my OSD-badges, please have a look on them if they are ok.
And perhaps can someone tell why they were produced in this different way.

1. RE OSD cap badge, bronce, 16,7g, height 48mm, reverse raised maker´s mark LUDLOW LONDON
2. RAPC OSD cap badge, 2 blades, bronce, 10,3g, height 43mm, no maker´s mark
3. RPC OSD cap badge, 2 blades, bronce, 8,7g, height 48,5mm, no maker´s mark
4. RAOC OSD cap badge, 2 blades, bronce, 16,0g, height 50mm, no maker´s mark
5. RASC EVIII OSD cap badge, 2 blades, bronce, 12,2g, height 42mm, raised makers mark FIRMIN LONDON in an oval, could be a separate soldered on plate. Beside the matching collar badges with lugs.

Thanks in advance for all comments and informations,

kind regards
Markus

[grey_green_acorn]

Markus,
Back in the day Officers were required to obtain their Service Dress uniform and badges from military tailors and outfitters using a 'uniform allowance'. Tailors would purchase badges from various manufacturers who would be producing in relatively small quantities, sometimes to order as not needing to hold large stocks.
As a result OSD badges, in wear from circa 1900 to the 1950s with some later, are found in a variety of manufacturing styles with and without different makers marks.

Some examples in my album https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...p?albumid=3902

Tim

[Markus Bodeux]

Thanks Tim !
Yes, that is also in the german forces common, officers are "self-enclothers" (Selbsteinkleider) and for myself (Naval Medical Reserve) i have a walkout-Uniform from a tailor in Kiel, and i could choose the quality of buttons, badges, stripes, peaked cap ......
I have seen a lot of OSD cap badges, also those in your album , but i still wonder why they were (mostly) produced in a different way than the die struck badges with a "mirror"-reverse.
May be the weight and the material should indicate a higher quality and these were more resistand against damages and discolouring ?
Are my badges "OK2 ?

Regards
Markus

[Alex Rice]

I think bronze is too brittle to be die struck in the same way as OR badges. I think they would just crack.
Cheers,
Alex

[Markus Bodeux]

Thanks Alex,
yes, that should be the reason for different dies for the bronze badges.
A thinly struck bronze piece with sharp counter-relief would be very fragile.
I have read that these bronze OSD cap badges are also faked today, so again my question - are the shown five items original or are there "problematic" ones ?

Thank and best regards
Markus

[Alex Rice]

I think I would be happy with all of them. The problem is that there are so many different makers and quite a range in quality, it is difficult to tell. The few fakes I have seen tend to have a bright chocolate colour and the blades aren't great. Genuine ones have a brown toned colour normally.
Cheers,
Alex

[Markus Bodeux]

Thanks Alex,
i guess you are right and so i will also very happy with them !

Kind regards
Markus