British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

Recent Books by Forum Members

   

Go Back   British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum > British Military Insignia > Infantry (& Guards) Badges

 Other Pages: Galleries, Links etc.
Glossary  Books by Forum Members     Canadian Pre 1914    CEF    CEF Badge Inscriptions   Canadian post 1920     Canadian post 1953     British Cavalry Badges     Makers' Marks    Pipers' Badges  Canadian Cloth Titles  Books  SEARCH
 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 27-07-20, 06:31 PM
hkbuttonman hkbuttonman is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 154
Default Essex Regiment Officers Silver Cap Badges

I have seen a few unmarked silver Essex Regiment badges for sale on dealers lists including one badge by Gaunt. Are unmarked silver badges to the Essex Regiment common ? Is it because they were privately produced for officers ? I was going to buy the Gaunt one but was a bit suprised it was not hallmarked anywhere. Grateful for our Essex Regiment collectors observations.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 27-07-20, 11:21 PM
Fatherofthree's Avatar
Fatherofthree Fatherofthree is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 1,658
Default

Greetings HK.

If I am correct, I believe all Officer's badges were private purchase, bought either by the officer himself or perhaps a gift from a proud relative.

Some were hallmarked, others impressed with the word Sterling and others with nothing to support the fact they were silver.

Then there are those that are silver plated and in some instances these are marked on the rear with a letter P.

If you look at my Essex revamped Album here you will see the various styles of Officers' cap badges in silver, silver plate, white metal and OSD.

In answer to the question, are they common; they are not scarce bearing in mind the number of years The Essex Regiment has been in existence and the number of Officers that must have passed through over the years.

However, those to The Territorial Battalions will be scarcer, due to the fact of their shorter time span and less number of Officers.

Price wise, they can be anything from £80 or more upwards to an early pattern with hallmark which I have seen with an asking price of £175.

Hope this helps, but if I can assist you further, please ask.

Regards

Brian
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 28-07-20, 04:35 AM
Expat Yeoman's Avatar
Expat Yeoman Expat Yeoman is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Sydney
Posts: 597
Default

All I can add to Brian's excellent reply is:

- examples are occasionally found marked 'SILVER'
- examples hallmarked to early or wartime years typically command a premium over other years.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 28-07-20, 02:29 PM
hkbuttonman hkbuttonman is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 154
Default

Thanks for the information - and especially the album link.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 28-07-20, 06:42 PM
hkbuttonman hkbuttonman is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 154
Default

My interest was piqued by finding 2 Essex Regiment badges belonging to my Grandfather who served with the Essex Regiment. They seem to be the common design and I am presuming that they are not fake. Photo attached.

Today I purchased one marked silver badge and the Gaunt silver badge with no hallmark, as well as an unmarked silver pair of Sphinx / Egypt officers collar badges.

Thanks again for the help and the access to the great Essex Album.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 20200728_192632.jpg (87.0 KB, 33 views)
File Type: jpg 20200728_192833.jpg (71.5 KB, 26 views)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 28-07-20, 09:28 PM
Fatherofthree's Avatar
Fatherofthree Fatherofthree is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 1,658
Default

Greetings again HK.

Glad to be of assistance.

I'm interested in the Silver Sphinx collars you have purchased.

As far as I'm aware and with support from Colin Churchill's excellent work, 44th Foot (East Essex) alone, wore Sphinx collar badges and these were made of brass and for a short period, officers wore an embroidered Sphinx.

I'm sure ExpatYeoman will agree with me on this point as well.

Please can you post piccies of your Silver Sphinx collars and we'll see what you've got.

Regards.

Brian
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 28-07-20, 10:13 PM
hkbuttonman hkbuttonman is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 154
Default

I hope this link to the photos of the collar badges works.

https://alliedandaxismilitaria.com//...h=55676&phqu=2

Highlight and right click should work if the link does not.

Also, I once posted on this forum a photo of a strange Essex Regt. badge I bought from Minden Militaria. No-one seemed to know what it was though. Link attached.

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ht=hkbuttonman

Last edited by hkbuttonman; 28-07-20 at 10:20 PM. Reason: adding something
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 28-07-20, 10:49 PM
Fatherofthree's Avatar
Fatherofthree Fatherofthree is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 1,658
Default

Greetings again.

The collars appear to be the correct pattern for early 44th Foot, female Sphinx with a rounded face, mantle over the back etc, but as I stated earlier, they were made of brass.

Perhaps you have found something not seen previously.

A little more research may provide an answer and hopefully other Essex folk may have an idea.

Re the second item; still none the wiser and can't add anything else to the answers received when originally posted.

Regards.

Brian
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 29-07-20, 01:07 AM
Expat Yeoman's Avatar
Expat Yeoman Expat Yeoman is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Sydney
Posts: 597
Default

My understanding was the same as Brian's, I've seen white metal shields and eagles for the Essex Regt but not as sphinx for 44th. More research needed!

Ditto re second badge, have not been able to ID that yet.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 29-07-20, 06:36 AM
Alex Rice Alex Rice is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,736
Default

Thoughts on this example please? The manufacture is not standard for an ORs badge so I thought maybe officer quality?
Thanks, cheers,
Alex
Attached Images
File Type: jpg ER6.jpg (70.9 KB, 25 views)
File Type: jpg ER6a.jpg (53.6 KB, 30 views)
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 29-07-20, 08:28 PM
Fatherofthree's Avatar
Fatherofthree Fatherofthree is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 1,658
Default

Greetings Alex.

Not sure what you have here.

From the front it appears to be a proper first pattern ORs badge, however, the rear is most certainly not.

I suspect, but I may well be wrong, that a proper badge has had a plate of whichever metal it is, cut to fit exactly and the badge has then been put into use for another purpose.

Possibly a Sweetheart item, however the fixings appear wrong.

Are they lugs or the type that would support a pin?

Whatever it was made for, I very much doubt it would have been used a cap badge after it had been adapted.

Regards.

Brian
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 01-08-20, 09:45 AM
Alex Rice Alex Rice is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,736
Default

Hi Brian
Yes, very odd. It has normal lugs, as would be expected on a badge, not a sweetheart brooch. I don't believe the back plate was retro-fit, I am sure it is original to the manufacture. The only other things I have seen like this have been silver badges which have been closed off with the same little holes, which is why I thought maybe an officer badge.
Cheers,
Alex
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 01-08-20, 08:38 PM
Fatherofthree's Avatar
Fatherofthree Fatherofthree is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 1,658
Default

Greetings Alex.

Well lookee here, I knew I had something similar.

IMG_8767.jpg IMG_8768.jpg

I obtained it a number of years ago and believed from the outset it was intended as a Sweetheart item; hence the reason it has been languishing in my Sweetheart collection.

The obvious differences are that the front of mine is all brass and the rear has, (what appear to be ) purpose made retaining clips for the intact pin.

Other differences are the rear voids at the bottom are not exactly as yours and it has fewer (probable) braize holes.

The rear has definitely been fixed to a purpose made front, which you can see is one metal only.

Bearing in mind that all brass economy issues weren't required at the time this particular pattern was worn, I can think of no other reason for the badge being produced, other than as a Sweetheart or similar.

If they were not intended as Sweethearts or some other adornment, then I have no idea why they were made.

Officers pattern of this period were of a completely different design, examples of which are in both mine and Expatyeoman's albums.

Another possible answer, (which I don't want to contemplate), is they are complete fakes, in your case using a proper badge and in mine concocting one.

More research to be done methinks.

Regards.

Brian
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

mhs link

All times are GMT. The time now is 08:31 AM.


Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.