old collector hopefully returning to the hobby

[Les 546]

Hi, just recently joined the forum, thank you for the ad. Wonderfull forum, wish it had been around when I was collecting. But that was before the internet, not that I am that old! I started in the early 70's, after I got out of the Army, moved to the USA, travelled fairly often back to the UK as I was in the antique trade and shopped many fairs and antique shops. I also used a very good dealer here in the US called Mess Dress that perhaps some of you may remeber, again before the internet.
I was a member of Crown Imperial and have all the usual books including K&K
This may not come as a surprise but as it became clear that the fakes were becoming of such quality and rarer and rarer badges started popping up on dealers lists it absolutely killed my enjoyment of the hobby. I loved the research of badges the history behind them, the thrill of finding a new addition or discovering the identity of an unknown. Sorry long introduction. My idea was to join the site try and sort out what i had and what didnt belong in my collection and get rid of the fakes and sell off what i felt comfotable about. BUT it is such a great site and just the short time I have spent on it has rekindled my interest in a hobby I once greatly enjoyed. So thank you to all on here who post and keep it alive and vibrant, Les

[Chipper]

Welcome Les. I am a fairly recent collector of British Badges - I spent 15 years collecting German awards and decorations before the fakes and charlatans turned me right off. It was becoming a full time job keeping up with the latest fake!

You will find here, as I have, some wonderfully decent folks who love this hobby (read: obsession) who are all too willing to give you the good (and sometimes bad) news, but generally in a positive and empathetic way. We all have/had rep's in our collections, and there is certainly no shame in it, but it is important to weed them out.

I hope you find the forum as informative, inclusive and fun as I have. I don't post a lot, as I am on a big learning curve and just don't have the experience others here have, but find the people here very supportive and generous with both time, advice and expertise.

Cheers, Tim

[2747andy]

Les,
welcome back! The fakes are nowhere near as good as the originals and the majority can be spotted when pointed in the right direction, which you will of course find offered by the members of this Forum!

Hope you don't find too many repros in amongst what you already have!

Andy

[Peter Brydon]

Les,

Welcome, there are a number of members here ( including me ) who were members of Crown Imperial.

I still have a couple of bits of paperwork relating to Mess Dress ( Roy Dupuy ) but his web site no longer appear to exist. ( see attached )

This is a great hobby that is hard to give up completely even though there is more and more dross to plough through to find the good stuff.

Peter

[Tigerlily]

Hi Les

As a complete beginner I look forward to learning lots from you as well as everyone else here.



Allison

[Les 546]

Originally Posted by Peter Brydon

Les,

Welcome, there are a number of members here ( including me ) who were members of Crown Imperial.

I still have a couple of bits of paperwork relating to Mess Dress ( Roy Dupuy ) but his web site no longer appear to exist. ( see attached )

This is a great hobby that is hard to give up completely even though there is more and more dross to plough through to find the good stuff.

Peter

Roy Dupuy, nice old guy all our dealings were by phone and mail, not sure he had a web site by the time i stopped activly buying.

[Roy]

Hello Les,

A heartfelt 'welcome' to the forum.

Cheers, Roy.

[Les 546]

Roy thanks for the kind welcome, I see you are in Arizona im in Virginia. great collection of Black Watch badges you posted. I do have A Shropshire Yemonry with a Gaunt slider that I have wondered if a bit dodgy, feels good but little ware for my taste. I will try and figure out how to put images up and let you have a look. Les

[ubervamp]

Originally Posted by Les 546

This may not come as a surprise but as it became clear that the fakes were becoming of such quality and rarer and rarer badges started popping up on dealers lists it absolutely killed my enjoyment of the hobby. I loved the research of badges the history behind them, the thrill of finding a new addition or discovering the identity of an unknown.

Hi Les, and welcome to the Forum!
Many helpful and knowledgeable members on here
I fully understand you disillusionment regarding fakes.
When I starting collecting I had no idea of the number of fakes out there being sold as genuine items. I found myself almost giving up before I'd even started!
I initially just wanted a collection of WW1 Infantry of the Line badges.
I quickly realised that going on eBay and finding a badge I wanted was not a simple task, since fakes are rampant.
I was lucky to make some good friends on here to help steer me in the right direction. But the point remains. If I want a certain badge, I need to first read threads to learn the obvious fakes, study the badge in question and even then, sometimes find myself asking for opinions before committing to a purchase.
It's become more about the ordeal of procuring a genuine example than the pure joy of discovering a new badge, and getting a good deal on it.
I am not a scientist. I am not a metallurgist. I don't have the time to study every single badge I like in order to eliminate all the fakes.
At the end of the day it's often "hey - I got a good one" more than the joy of getting a new addition.
And despite what anyone may say; yes, it deters from the hobby.

Instead of just scouring the internet for badges I like, it's become a minefield, where I find myself questioning every badge I see. I just want to collect, but it seems that a major part of the game is "spot the fake"
It's completely detrimental to the hobby, and requires (more) knowledge about fakes than the real thing. Badge collecting for beginners has become a game of "avoid the fakes" and that is NOT inducive to a good initial experience.

I've learnt a lot from members, and can now usually avoid the the common fakes, but is that what the hobby is about? Dodging fakes?

I buy primarily from a few trusted sellers, members of the Forum and SMM.
There's only so many times you can post a link on the Forum to eBay saying "is this ok?"

Education is the only way to avoid these sharks peddling bad wares, and sadly. that is what is required if one's new to collecting.
Sadly, because there's nothing more detrimental to collecting than having to assume 70% of the stuff on eBay is fake. So learn your sliders, learn your fonts, learn your details on the crowns, learn your sweat holes, learn your voids, and maybe - just maybe you might get a good one. (You probably won't because the rear is not defined enough)
Or buy from experts who have done their homework and pay premium prices

I have a collection of 1000 badges, most of which I'm certain are good ones thanks to the help. patience and guidance of the members here. And I am indebted to them and thankful

But I still wish collecting was more about "hey - this is one I don't have" than identifying fakes.

Cheers

Colin

[Roy]

Originally Posted by Les 546

Roy thanks for the kind welcome, I see you are in Arizona im in Virginia. great collection of Black Watch badges you posted. I do have A Shropshire Yemonry with a Gaunt slider that I have wondered if a bit dodgy, feels good but little ware for my taste. I will try and figure out how to put images up and let you have a look. Les

Hi Les,

Yes Arizona these days, been in the US for ten years no, no idea where the time went... Virginia is one place I haven't visited yet but have lived all over, mostly in the west.

I'm no expert but would be happy to see your SY badge when you work out how to load up pics. It's not that hard really.

Thanks for your kind words on my Black Watch album. Had a few finds recently, so a few more to load up..

Cheers, Roy.

[Les 546]

Thank you Colin for a very thoughtful post reply, as I type this I am surrounded by 400 + badges I have pulled out and dusted off, in truth havent looked at them in years because i was so disillusioned and fed up. Still going through some of the collection I am finding myself absorbed again in not only the history and craftmanship of each badge but the honest pleasure I once took in just handling them. Not sure where I am going to go, start collecting , again or try and move them on to somebody who might appreciate them anew.

[ubervamp]

Originally Posted by Les 546

I am finding myself absorbed again in not only the history and craftmanship of each badge but the honest pleasure I once took in just handling them.

Les

Nail on the head History, craftsmanship and honest pleasure
Exactly what keeps drawing me back
And with a badge in your hand you're contemplating and confronted with History and craftmanship or the utmost order. A piece of History.
I hope you don't sell, but reignite the pleasure and continue to collect.

Colin

[Les 546]

Originally Posted by Roy

Hi Les,

Yes Arizona these days, been in the US for ten years no, no idea where the time went... Virginia is one place I haven't visited yet but have lived all over, mostly in the west.

I'm no expert but would be happy to see your SY badge when you work out how to load up pics. It's not that hard really.

Thanks for your kind words on my Black Watch album. Had a few finds recently, so a few more to load up..

Cheers, Roy.

Roy not sure how to do this as a quote or add on to the thread but no doubt I will figure it out, here are a couple of images i would appreciate your thoughts. The SY as I mentioned I have doubts but the BW with the VC looks good, unfortunately the lugs are gone

[Les 546]

Apparently I havent got this figured out

[Roy]

Hi Les,

I just spotted your badge in the album section.

The BW looks like a nice WWI period OR's example. The SY I think is dodgy, I seem to really these solid/un-voided examples are not correct. Although as mentioned I'm really no expert.

Cheers, Roy.