What Does Badge Collecting Mean To You?

[davec2]

Hello 8thfoot,
As with Jibba Jabba, you are absolutely spot on, it is a hobby and because I feel offended, it isn't really that serious, so I'm drawing a line under this issue with a final observation. I do wish I had spotted it earlier but we can't all be perfect ??
I notice that a lot of members use badges as emblems ( my favourite Joachim ), was I to do that, I would use either my solid silver and hallmarked Wessex Brigade cap badge or my other ranks Household Cavalry Helmet device, I have too many bronze O.S.D. cap badges to choose between !!
The point I wish to make as I depart this point is the label, for want of a better word, used by ard_ri, a ' no whining sign ', surely his remarks, including lowlife like myself is just that, a 100% WINGE !!!!!!! Dave.

[Alan O]

All,

PLEASE STOP SNIPING.

This thread was started by Dave with all the best intentions to draw a line under any bad feeling between members. He asked why we like collecting badges and not why we disliked each other. Please can we go back to badge collecting.

Thank you.

Alan

[davec2]

Hello Alan,
As with others, you are 100% right, I need a lot of advice and the forum was suggested to me as the perfect medium.

Line drawn.
Dave.

[ard-ri]

Glad to see you have all taken to me so well. You love me....You really do love me

Now let's move on shall we please.

[davec2]

Your arrogance is limitless, purely an observation ?????

[Luke H]

I collect victorian infantry, infantry of the line 1914 (as Gaylor sets out) and also '43 although I'm considering pushing it back to '47 to include a few extra badges as other wise the cards will look rather spartan. I also collect Corps and Services I select in no particular order and my favourate flourish of late is post 08 badges of the London Regiment (big thank you to Keith in this department) which I intend on setting out as my infantry '14 collection.

I also plan on collceting infantry '71 and brigade badges when I get around to it.

... But that's enough to keep me going for now

My method of displayment will be on felt covered cards in a leverarch folder... I've been planning on doing that for years as at present they all sit in various quality street and cadbury tins (forever getting mixed up with my badge tins and those containing chocolates at christmas time!)

Aside from that like every collector here I pick up the odd badge which floats my boat on occasion which doesn't fit into my current collecting aims just because it is a nice badge to look at.

As for broken badges do have a few with repaired sliders/lugs etc but always try and replace as soon as I find a really nice one.

Restrikes no thanks, have never knowingly/purposefully bought a restrike since my mid teens and am not about to start up now, not saying that I haven't had my fingers burnt on occasions.

I would like to take the chance here in this general thread to thank everyone who has helped me on this forum with the hobby a special thanks goes to Keith, Malc and Alan and the man who has made all this learning I've done possible our admin Mike, thanks guys.

All the best & happy collecting,

Luke

[Faugh-A-Ballagh]

I must say it has been really enjoying reding all these threads, so I reckon it's time to join in too. I always thought I was a bit of an obsessive collector until I read some of these posts. I took up collecting when I was about 13 in the mid 1980's. My dad gave me his old collection of about 50 badges and taught me who they were and I was enthralled by the stories of the battle honours and amalgamations etc. At that time there were a couple of sources in Northern Ireland, and I built up a reasonable collection, I also inherited a few interesting pieces. Also when wearing the Queen's uniform, there was also a few badges acquired here and there. My collecting fizzled out I suppose in the early 90's as I could never seem to find any good ones any more, and those that were mail order were often of dubious quality. My collection was relegated to a cardboard box for quite a few years. Anyway a couple of years ago I found out my dad had given a few of my badges away to my young brother who had just been commissioned in the New Zealand army. I was outraged and rescued my prized collection. Was just separated at the time and got into it again as a bit of a hobby. Got into the ebay thing, got some gems and got my fingers burnt a time or two. Have put a few collections such as RA and RE and Scottish infantry into frames, but the rest are now mounted on large sheets of coloured cardboard. I've decided to concentrate on Irish infantry regiments for the time being, as that is what I am interested in historically. I might start acquiring a few more Irish cavalry, but I'm tending to avoid the Irish Guards (for the time being anyway) as it is a bit of a can of worms. However, as far as cleaning goes, I reckon clean with a nice patina is fine. Obsessive polishing / chemical cleaning destroys a good badge. I don't mind having a badge that is damaged, and is long as the front looks ok, it will have a home in my collection. One of may favourite badges is my Royal Munster Fusiliers one which is battered, dented and has the scroll missing, but it has loads of character. As far as restrikes/fakes go, I don't like them, especially as dealers try to pass them off as original, however if I buy one unwittingly, I will keep it as something to make me aim for the original next time I get a chance. I think this forum is priceless. The shared experiece and opinions are very valuable. Keep it going.

Enough Said

John

[Deejayuu]

Originally Posted by joachim

I am what I like to call a general collector, I do not collect a certain regiment or an era but badges in general whether they are pre 1901 or E11R.
I have some of my badges mounted on the walls and displayed in no particular Precedence, just basically what I think looks nice.
On the wall also I do have a small cabinet which holds my 8 lance plates
I also have a stationary cabinet with 12 drawers which hold aprox 50 badges per drawer. with all my badges when I aquire them they get one wash with warm water and a tooth brush, I love badges with great patina and if it has some of the pink stuff even better it stays on.
I have also got a shoe box with about 45 small boxes inside which contain some of my OSD badges with collars and I keep this on top of my wardrobe.
So you might say I have an unorganised collection.

Malc

Malc,
you seem to have a very similar arrangement to the one i have. I have put my badges in an old chest of drawers though but still need other boxes to seperate other items. All my post 1952 badges are in a box which includes both AA and metal badges.
Thanks for your comments,
Cheers, Dave

[Deejayuu]

[QUOTE=ard-ri;10044]Great thread Dave,

I have been collecting badges for over thirty years. When I first started collecting, my lofty goal was to collect every British badge ever made. I very soon realized that that goal would be impossible. From this first goal I then moved on to collecting the rarest badges, this too I found to be impossble for me due to the price of such rare items. Fifteen years, and a badge here and there later, with a count of about 450 badges, I decided to narrow my focus to Irish badges. Actually I narrowed it down to badges from regiments from inside Ireland............

Cheers Michael, it sounds as though you have picked one of the toughest areas of collecting, both financially and rarity. Thanks for your comments, Dave

[Deejayuu]

Originally Posted by hagwalther

Collections - I collect Staybrite, German WWII Combat badges and WWI and WWII Iron Crosses.

Cleaning - get the crud off but never polish.

Reproductions - proper name is FAKE - the politically correct word is reproduction. I would never knowingly let one in my collection. Sellers knowingly selling fakes should be outed and shamed. If you don't want to get into a libel case (which I don't think would happen) one should use terms such as 'commercially unique' to describe a fake and 'modern trader' to describe the seller of fakes or similar. Collectors ain't daft and the word quickly gets around.

Showing - I'm investigating internet aspects of displaying collections.

Repaired badges - more than acceptable when a better item is not available due to cost or rarity. Difficult to tell if an item is period or modern repaired so assume modern.

Variations - should be included.

Regards

Chris

Thanks Chris, i think we all would be interested in displaying your badges on the internet. I wonder if Admin Mike might consider an image only library of genuine militaria/badges for reference by the forum. Just need some sort of panel to ensure that only genuine examples are shown. Sorted by regiment maybe?
Thanks again Chris, regards, Dave

[Deejayuu]

[QUOTE=paulbear;10058]Hello gentlemen as most now know I am a passionate collector of CEF insigina
WW1 CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. WE had a total of 260 numbered battalions and 3 named these being INFANTRY . THEN the corps element was massive as you can expect with 79 artillery batterys comomon ,siege, trench mortars, medical units, cyclits, forestry, railway, machingun rfc on and on it was huge. I collect all collars shoulders hat badges and any variantions I can find. My library is over 2000 books plus and I research metals quantities values ......

Thank you Paul for your comments, i would love to see your collection!
Kind regards, Dave

[Deejayuu]

Originally Posted by Alan Owen

Dave

A thought provoking topic. I group my badges by type and date. Due to space constraints I keep all mine in A4 wallets mounted on thin card inside plastic sleeves. I tried to put them all in date order - all Regular Inf badges as at 1908, all Inf badges changes as at 1939, all post 1950 changes and beret sizes etc but then you get the 1926-34 Inniskilling; where does that go?

Makers' variations is indeed another challenge. I do have makers' variations when they are significant such as the post war misspelling Inneskilling or large frond BW or or solid centre Suffolk but don't try and get every makers' variation. The problem I found with chasing every varaition is the danger of chasing restrikes. I have a solid centre Beds and Herts for example but this was not worn by the regiment and is a later copy.

Cleaning is only done with a wet toothbrush if really needed but otherwise leave alone. And yes I do have some polished and repaired badges for some of the rarer designs until I can find a better example.

Alan

Cheers Alan, you seem to be well organised. Have you come across an all brass Beds and Herts? Have one in the collection and have been informed that it was worn by depot staff only! Thanks for the comments, Dave

[Deejayuu]

[QUOTE=David Tremain;10109]I first started collecting badges as a teenager in the 60's. My grandfather had given me a few that he had acquired during his service in India and Burma with the RA and R.Sigs. I then joined the Military Heraldry Society (membership lapsed long ago) and various members sent me badges to help a young lad trying to develop his collection. They were very eclectic (as was my collection) and I suspect, were odds and sods they didn't want. I bought a few others, for mere shillings or pennies in those days (Oh that I had had the foresight to keep buying then!), then my interest dropped off as I got older and the whole lot were left at my parents when I immigrated to Canada. In 2001 when my dad came over to visit he brought them with him, having asked if I still wanted them. I'd forgotten what I had, and soon got really interested in them, but I realised that I needed reference books if I was to take this hobby seriously. So began a new adventure, both adding to my collection and collecting as many of the reference books as possible.....QUOTE]

Thanks for your comments David, it seems i am not the only one that could spend, spend, spend should the opportunity arise!
Dave

[Deejayuu]

Originally Posted by Cardiffbloke

I think everyone knows by now that I collect only 3 Regiments. QDG is easy as in the last 50 years they haven't changed much but there are quite a number of variations on a theme like a great number of 'Staybright' badge types etc. Luckily, I think I am one of only 3 collectors who have the Recruiter's' Title... see Pic. Bays is also pretty straightforward as they pretty much stayed with what they started with in 1898.... KDG however...What a nightmare! 3 cap badge changes and all associated bits and bobs.... Also a 'smart' Cav Regt where everything is Silver and Gold.... Costs me a bloody fortune but EVERYTHING i have is real... no fakes and i can honestly say i am about 20 items short of finishing it.... then what??
As for cleaning.... well right now, the soldier in me is saying "present them as they would have been worn" but i listen to the arguments for leaving them be.... the Jury is out.....
Storage at the Mo is the same as Alan Owen but one day i will put them into an enormous frame and my wife has said i can put it up in the attic!!

Thanks Cardiff, sounds fascinating, any chance of some of the `bloody expensive` KDG badges? I am sure there are many of us that would love to see them.
Cheers Dave

[Deejayuu]

Originally Posted by David Tremain

I haven't got around to framing all of mine yet, as there are too many gaps, and I want to put them in order of precedence, but what is it with wives not wanting us to display them in prominent places? Mine says I can put them up in the basement (where they are stored right now). Perhaps that's another topic but maybe let's not go there!

David, there are only the wife and i in a 3 bedroomed house. Main bedroom, guest room and the third bedroom i have taken over as the war room so have plenty of space to spread out.
Dave