New Australian Badge Book - Metal Uniform Embellishments of the Australian Army

[slick_mick]

Hi Guys,

There is a new Australian military badge book now available.

Metal Uniform Embellishments of the Australian Army (Volume 1) by Arthur Butler and Mark Corcoran. Vol 1 of 3. The others I believe are out later this year.

This volume covers Rising Sun badges, Corps and Training School badges.

Available as a $10 eBook (614 page PDF file).

It can be purchased and downloaded from here:

http://booklaunch.io/Mark%20Corcoran...2a0b804ca8e6b2

Mick

[Donny B.]

Thanks for the update!

Is it likely to be published as a "book"?

Donny B.

[slick_mick]

No mate.

I have been advised it will be an eBook only due to the costs involved in making it into a proper book.

I will probably print out my copy and use that.

Mick

[Drummajor]

Tried to buy it. Only accepting credit cards. It wont recognise mine??

Phil.

[slick_mick]

I paid via Visa - worked ok for me.

Mick

[fairlie63]

I used debit, came through all right. Excellent work by Mark and Arthur, fabulous in fact.

Keith

[Lancer 17]

If its only an Ebook Im just not interested. If I cant sit in a chair with my book and a cup of coffee (sorry I dont have a blonde) Im just not interested, and yes I do have grey hair !!

Regards

Phil.

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by fairlie63

I used debit, came through all right. Excellent work by Mark and Arthur, fabulous in fact.

Keith

Just got mine, great work. Also the answer to the RAA reverse coloured cloth shoulder title, Keith.

Marc

[Mark Corcoran]

That's a good point Mick... we didn't 'cripple' or limit the PDF at all... everyone can print out their eBook. Either the whole book, or any specific part(s) they like.

The whole idea was that everyone can have both hard and soft formats handy if they want. I know that Arthur has printed his pdf out to use at militaria fairs already.

In fact, while we've been moving along with Vol2... a few 'identification topics' have come up between Art and and I, so I simply said "I'm not sure what we wrote on that... why don't you just bloody well look it up?" LOL After all, there's not much point in scribbling 2 books of that length if you have to remember every detail 100% accurately anyway

That's my 2c worth at least
Mark

[derekx]

Just downloaded my copy - what a fantastic reference!
I've always been interested in the subtle variations between manufacturers, production runs etc. This is one of the few reference works which covers these variations.
I might investigate printing out the important bits (i.e. medical corps) at somewhere like Officeworks, who can do it in colour.
I eagerly await Volume 2!

[Mark Corcoran]

Originally Posted by derekx

Just downloaded my copy - what a fantastic reference!
I've always been interested in the subtle variations between manufacturers, production runs etc. This is one of the few reference works which covers these variations.
I might investigate printing out the important bits (i.e. medical corps) at somewhere like Officeworks, who can do it in colour.
I eagerly await Volume 2!

Derek,

Spoken like a true Gentleman! You are absolutely right... the Medical Corps is the most important part

Mark

[Mark Corcoran]

Originally Posted by Donny B.

Thanks for the update!

Is it likely to be published as a "book"?

Donny B.

This is my first post here

The up-to date answer, is that there will be a hard copy by the end of the year (if there is support for one).

At present, Arthur Butler and I are busy finishing the second 'encyclopedic' eBook reference in the series (the next one covers all 'Regiments and Units'). Both eBooks are a bit over 600 pages length... so we intend to publish a more succinct hard copy version. The hard copy will use the entire numbering system used across volumes 1 and 2... however to keep the page count down, the print version will show only one example of each variant and will not cover known repros in detail etc. However, we will include some basic rogue detection information, to help new collectors avoid the pitfalls which we have all come to see over the years.

The hard copy, or "Summary" version (if you like), will run to about 350 pages. We hope that is a much more manageable book to own and use, than a pair of 600 page tomes.

The idea is that a hard copy will be a ready desk reference... while at shows and auctions etc, people can use the 2 eBooks on their smart phones and Ipads etc, to look up detail and magnify images, right next to the item they are examining. The intention is that both styles of publication can be used to compliment each other... while those who prefer eBooks to hard copy and vice versa, will each be able to get what they want.

We hope that sounds like a good approach to you all in any event?

Thanks for your interest in our 'scribbling' on Australian (post '53) insignia. We do appreciate the book finding an audience

Mark Corcoran

[Mark Corcoran]

OK... here's an update for you all.

We've come to realise that people want to buy the recently released eBook in hard copy form. First, as I mentioned to Mick in an earlier post, the PDF hasn't been 'crippled' at all and anyone who has the pdf is able to print out all 614 pages for themselves. Both Arthur and I have already done that... and we did it quite a few times during the process of writing the work as well. In this day and age of 'quick print'/quick copy print-shops, you can get that done pretty easily (even though some of them can be a bit dear for B&W and very expensive for colour).

So, what Arthur and I are thinking about doing, is having a very a limited run of the Vol 1 eBook produced (in black and white) and hand-signed and numbered, if people prefer that path to printing out a copy of their own and then getting it sensibly bound etc?

From a DIY perspective, we've found that an unbound b&w copy from an 'on-demand' printer (such as OfficeWorks in Australia), can be had for 8c per page (so Vol 1 would be $49.12 unbound). They don't seem to be able to wire or coil bind books over 400 pages... so a DIY copy would need to be drilled/punched and placed in a ring-binder.

Let us know if a professionally printed and wire bound B&W copy with a clear acetate cover and a hard-wearing back cover will be of interest? Having those sold at gun shows or via militaria dealers would be the cheapest way to get them distributed... otherwise Express Post in Australia would add about $15 to the full cost and heaven only knows what the OS post costs would be

Any thoughts, DIY or shop-bought?

Regards

Mark

[Coast Watcher]

Hi Mark, the last two badge books I have purchased from the UK have cost well over 100AUD each delivered.
I don't have a problem paying a premium for a good quality professionally produced reference book.
Ed

[slick_mick]

Hi Mark,

You should be able to find bookbinders in Brisbane who can probably bind 600 odd pages quite cheaply.

Regards,

Mick