First Design Northamptonshire Regiment on a Slider

[dubaiguy]

I have a Northamptonshire Regiment badge of the initial design – that’s the one with the flag above the central turret, the long key and windows in all the turrets – that has me flummoxed as it’s on a slider!

Gaylor tells me that this design was replaced in 1900 before sliders were specified as the fixing – and indeed I have another that is on two loops/lugs and looks just the ticket for a Victorian era badge.

Though the same design as my lugged version it isn’t nowhere near as professionally finished as a Victorian manufactured badge. Notwithstanding it being on a slider, there are no voids between the Talavera and Northamptonshire scroll; the scroll itself is slightly offset and the flag above the central turret isn’t as finely executed as that seen on the Victorian badge. It has also been slightly shaped by the wearer which I haven’t really seen on Victorian badges.

I don’t believe the badge is a fake as it doesn’t have any of the obvious fakery tells, but what do I have?

Could this be another example of the first superseded die being used again to fulfil mobilisation demand in preparation for the expected armed conflict? Grateful for any suggestions.
Mark

[Luke H]

It’s a WW1 made badge, in my belief akin to the slidered flat topped crown East Surrey.

Another manufacturers mistake or stopgap presumably in the 1914/15 shortages. I’ve seen several WW1 photos of these being worn.

They also are found in 1916 all GM issue and occasionally WM, the latter being I believe simply unfinished.

[Alex Rice]

Are you sure it isn't a fake, those vent holes look like they might have been drilled?

[Luke H]

Completely sure.

The holes are the same as found on many wartime produced badges such as the recently much discussed KC Suffolks with regimental and added tower.

The badge is also show in the first, 1969, edition of Wilkinson’s book which appears to be largely drawn from a WW1 era collection.

Here is a photo of the badge being worn I found from a quick search, I’ve seen several other better quality images but don’t have them to hand. You can see the central turret taper to the witdth of the flag unlike the standard castle pattern and also the completely vertical outline of the outermost towers.

This chap, Frank Smith, enlisted in 1915 and was killed 1917.

[KLR]

The only way to find out the 'first' Northants cap badge.
The first N cap badge was auth on 5th April 1898 as Pattern 4639/1898
The second Pattern (with corrected tower and shorter key) was auth 15th Nov 1901 as Patt 4639A/1901.

The 'Patterns' are not normally bothered with individual fixtures but the general change to 'vertical shanks' in 1906 (can't find ref at the mo)

In any case - look up the IWM Sealed Patterns. In any case the slider on your 1st Patt may have had a slider to it in 1906 - or later)

[Frank Kelley]

That's a nice example, you do encounter these with a slider from time to time, regarding Gaylor, my advice would be the waste paper basket.

Originally Posted by dubaiguy

I have a Northamptonshire Regiment badge of the initial design – that’s the one with the flag above the central turret, the long key and windows in all the turrets – that has me flummoxed as it’s on a slider!

Gaylor tells me that this design was replaced in 1900 before sliders were specified as the fixing – and indeed I have another that is on two loops/lugs and looks just the ticket for a Victorian era badge.

Though the same design as my lugged version it isn’t nowhere near as professionally finished as a Victorian manufactured badge. Notwithstanding it being on a slider, there are no voids between the Talavera and Northamptonshire scroll; the scroll itself is slightly offset and the flag above the central turret isn’t as finely executed as that seen on the Victorian badge. It has also been slightly shaped by the wearer which I haven’t really seen on Victorian badges.

I don’t believe the badge is a fake as it doesn’t have any of the obvious fakery tells, but what do I have?

Could this be another example of the first superseded die being used again to fulfil mobilisation demand in preparation for the expected armed conflict? Grateful for any suggestions.
Mark

[Alan O]

I would agree with all that has been said about it being a wartime badge.

Gaylor's work was superseded by later research a long time ago. He drew some of his content from the old articles in the journal he was involved with but unfortunately did not attribute his sources. There is also some collectors' hear-say in their and some things, such as his 1916 economy list, have been shown to be factually incorrect. it's a good read but not an authority anymore.

[dubaiguy]

Thank you all for your informative replies and confirming for me that it is another of those badges that falls into that category of rushed production using 'old' dies to meet the colossal demand in the earlier part of the war. Indeed when we compare that period to our own and the problems we have faced in gearing up to vaccinate the entire UK population, it actually beggars belief how they ever managed it.

Also interesting for me are KLR's dates showing that the first pattern (I called it initial design - I'll have to remember to use the right terminology), was superseded by the second pattern after only 3 1/2 years. That also helps me put my lugged example into the correct timeframe.

Thanks again
Mark