White metal badges

[Khyber]

Have a question on white metal badges. Don't they tarnish with age? I have seen white metal badges to Indian units which are over a 100 years old but look as good as new. And while they are very high quality with fine detail etc they'er so clean and in some cases shiny so I wonder how in a 100 years there's no signs of aging. Do dealers/collectors clean these badges?

We know some badges, mostly the Gurkha items are faked, but what about others - an my interest is specifically in Indian Army/ Auxillary Force India and Indian Volunteer units.. Have these been faked/reproduced ???

[peter monahan]

White metal, if it is tin/pewter, won't tarnish the way silver does. Pewter goes a little darker but not black. Or they have been discreetly polished by the seller.

Sadly, there doesn't seem to be much that isn't reproduced theses days. The badges of some modern Indian Army and Indian/Pakistani police units in particular are so crude that one is tempted to brand them 'fakes' and the beutiful work done, often in England, for AFI units and pre-47 IA officers badges makes deciding which ones are good a real crap shoot.

The best method is simply educating oneself, in so far as that is possible, comparing known examples with new finds and making educated guesses. No magic wand.

[pinfrin]

Originally Posted by peter monahan

The badges of some modern Indian Army and Indian/Pakistani police units in particular are so crude that one is tempted to brand them 'fakes' and the beautiful work done, often in England, for AFI units and pre-47 IA officers badges

Them should perhaps revert to colored hats or pagries. No metal badges
except maybe GR khukri insignia which are difficult to squash, smudge,
stamp, stomp, cast out of shape.

Meanwhile a beautiful IA badge which got away. Sigh.
http://www.coldstreammilitaryantique...h=50075&phqu=0

[peter monahan]

That is a beauty.