4 imperial yeo - real or repro?

[davidwyke]

SHOWN ARE 4 Imperial Yeomanry cap badges -
Shropshire (K&K 1307)
North Somerset (K&K 1320)
North Devon (K&K 1344)
West Somerset (K&K 1346)

All are made from thick gauge cast brass and have fairly small rounded copper lugs. The dimensions are as shown in K&K although the first two badges differ slightly from the badges shown in the book.

I've always thought these badges were repros but a dealer selling a North Devon badge identical to mine is adamant that it's authentic.So, would appreciate any opinions/comments either way.

[Rob Miller]

A dealer at Exeter car boot had 4 of the West Somerset's a couple of weeks ago, there seem to be too many of them turning up for my liking.

Rob

[GriffMJ]

The WSIY is meant to be "cut" from thick brass..... not cast?

[Sonofacqms]

I have some of these and I am not sure they are cast, look at the backs and thin lines are visible, would you get these from casting?

Rob

[GriffMJ]

Rob

You would get those from grinding the backs level on a belt sander......

[Sonofacqms]

Griff, that's a good point and as these seem plentiful these days I think they are being produced somewhere.

Rob

[Rockape]

Gents,

I'm not so sure. This concerns sheet brass badges and not badges purchased through the usual channels, so there may have been over-stocking of these items by the QM. I have had a look at the examples in my collection and find the crudeness and simplicity of design attractive from an economic point of view as a 'cost saver' for a unit wanting to purchase such items 'en masse'. You may be correct but I'm going to hang onto mine until we can say for definite that they are fake.

What I find intriguing about these badges (with the exception of SIY) is that they were worn by North and West Somerset Yeomanry and 1st Royal Devon and North Devon Hussars Yeomanry.....A local supplier maybe? SIY was worn by the Shropshire Yeomanry and South of Ireland Yeomanry. Here is a couple of photos worn by troopers on the shoulder and side cap, courtesy of Doug (Grevisk).
http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...=south+ireland

Below a couple of photos showing the bronzed brass cut from sheeting shoulder title to the North Devon Hussars.

[davidwyke]

Hi Chaps,
many thanks for the interesting replies.
I must admit that I always thought they were fake, although the fact that some of them show traces of verdigris on the back (like the NDH shown) might indicate some age.The guy I bought them from didn't know one way or the other,in fact he thought they were shoulder titles, some of them may also have been worn as S/T's,like the NDH.

They may not be cast, I assumed they were because of the crudeness of the backs, they all have the thin lines which Rob mentioned.

I'm sure they originate from the same manufacturer - possibly a local supplier at the time as suggested or maybe someone beavering away in the garden shed much more recently! They may have been over-stocked at the time and are just surfacing now but i think they more that appear the more likely it is that someone is turning them out now.

David

[Rockape]

Kipling & King also describe some of these as sheet brass, so they have been around for a very long time, and considering the rough cut side for each type have the same striation direction, I would still suggest a local supplier around the supposed time of issue. If it was a modern day job, the loops would be different and the striation cuts may not have the same consistency as in the old days (lost art).