19th Hussars (The Elephant Family).

[1stTankie]

Hi Alan

Simply amazing! What a stunning badge.

Can you tell us anything about the provenance please?

Best wishes

Gordon

[mooke07]

Hi Alan,

Fantastic badge and wonderful to see it. Sets a high benchmark.

For interest I post a cast silver example of the same badge with four long lugs plus a white metal example with two shorter lugs.

I am happy with both despite having had my emotions roller coasted when I joined the forum and read the voluminious threads on this badge and authenticity. I have seen the good copies and the very bad.

I worried for a long time about the cast silver having the tail not having a long gap from the body but I sleep at night still! Let us see how I fair tonight upon posting these to my more learned colleagues.

Again I post these as a comparision but they are short of yours in wow factor.

Again thanks for sharing, Dean.

[alan g]

Gordon,
With regards to the provenance all i know is that the gentleman took it to the auctioneers to see if it was worth anything !! if not he was going to make it in to a brooch for his wife, i am trying to find out more but it would appear he did not know the history or rareity of what he had
regards

Alan

[1stTankie]

Hi Alan

Just amazing, it gets better and better!

What are the chances of something like this happening? You couldn't invent a story like this.

Many thanks. If they come back with a point of contact please let us know the outcome.

Best wishes

Gordon

[Peter Brydon]

Interestingly , and not surprisingly, in the lastest MHS Bulletin recieved today ,the Wallis and Wallis advert on the inside back cover features the badge which is described as "The rarest cap badge in the British Army "

P.B.

[alan g]

P.B. Quite rare yes but not sure about the rarest, i am trying to find out how many were made by bent and parker, but assuming from what people say that there are only about ten or so genuine double scroll o/r badges then there probably wouldnt be many officers badges around. Hopefully some info will come to light, interestingly i have a HM 1889 19th arm badge by smith and wright i wonder if they could have made a cap badge as well ?

[Alan O]

I am intrigued as to why these are so rare. The previous version seems a lot more common yet has a shorter period of wear given to it.

[alan g]

Alan, I thought the double scroll badge was only worn for a short period, like a sort of trial badge

[Keith Blakeman]

Originally Posted by Alan O

I am intrigued as to why these are so rare. The previous version seems a lot more common yet has a shorter period of wear given to it.

The story I've heard is that they were all dumped in India prior to the regiments' return to Britain. I suppose a few slipped through but HM officers' badges would have had an expected life span so I'd have thought there are probably as many if not more around than there are OR's.

[GriffMJ]

Having seen the two (jaw dropping) solid silver badges on this post....... was there a more "economic" version, just an ordinary die stamped silver (I see Mooke has shown a white metal)?

[mooke07]

Hi all,

Yes another elephant but this time from the Australian jungle! K&K 798.

I think this one obeys the three T's that Andy has eloquently described:

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...hp?albumid=961

Cheers Dean.

[Bill]

New to the forum and I would appreciate your comments.

19th (Princess of Wales’ Own) Hussars
KK789 Single Scroll
Three Badges:-
1. Copy – Sharp detail and poor strike. Wt. 11.6 g
2. Good? – Replaced loop on back, dull patina, scroll definition smooth. Wt. 12.4 g
3. Don’t know? – in brass with three loops. Wt. 12.4 g. Ideas please.

19th (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own) Hussars
KK790 Double scroll
Two Badges:-
1. Copy – Sharp definition looks like all others on ebay Wt. 9.8 g
2. A real Indian elephant look. Note gaps where feet meet scroll. Wt. 17.8 g (heavy). Is it good?

19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars
KK791
Two Badges:-
1. Copy – GAUNT with dot. Sharp definition. Wt. 4.6 g
2. Good? - No maker. Wt. 5.5 g

Also National Army Museum state that the 1898 badge was worn by Officers between 1908 and 1922. Is there photographic evidence for this?
(Refer to: www.nam.ac.uk online collections.

Many thanks

[Leonard D]

Copies of these badges abound. Something akin to navigating a minefield. This subject has been covered extensively on the Forum in the past. If you use the "search" facility you will find a wealth of information posted by the cavalry guru's. Hope this will be of some help to you.
L.R

[Bill]

Thanks Leonard.
I read the threads back to 2008 and I am sure three of the seven badges are fakes but I'm not sure about the other four.
I would like to know particularly about the double scroll with slider and the odd brass three lug single scroll.
Cheers,
Bill

[1stTankie]

Hi Tony

I had always understood the 19th Hussars FSH badge to be an elephant with NO scrolls whatsoever facing the opposite way to the Arm Badge, i.e. to the left as you look at it. This is modelled on the elephant that appears on the Officers' crossbelt.

Best wishes

Gordon