144th Winnipeg Rifles CEF Badges - Info Please

[2747andy]

Just acquired some CEF badges, 144th Winnipeg Bn, three in all, 2 cap and a collar. The first looks as though the devil has at one time been painted black as there are still quite a bit of it left on the badge which looks like an OSD, the second again an OSD and third the collar, which again is an OSD with a faint makers mark "Something" Winnipeg. My questions are (not being a Canadian badge collector), was the Black Devil how the badge was offically worn, the Cap badges look as though they were made with brooch fittings, which are "silver", as there are no signs of alteration, is this the case? Lastly the collar has also been brooched and there are traces of the lugs being removed, which has obscured part of the makers name, any ideas on which maker(s) it could possibly be (Possible letters "N" "G" "A" "L"). I have already checked the makers mark section here on the Forum, nothing close?
Are they scarce and a rough value?

Thanks in Advance?

Andy

[Bill A]

Hi Andy, A start to answers to your question. First, I think the maker mark is DINGWALL.
The 90th Winnipeg Rifles of the Canadian militia contributed five battalions to the CEF in WW1. The 8th Battalion (90th Rifles) was a First Contingent battalion, and served with the Canadian forces at the front throughout the war. The other battalions were reserve battalions and included the 90th Bn (also identified as the 2nd Winnipeg Rifles Bn) as opposed to the 90th Regiment of the pre war militia, the 144th Bn (or 3rd Winnipeg Rifles Bn, thus the "3" in the badge), the 190th Bn (with a 4 for the 4th Winnipeg Rifles) and the 203rd, which for some reason used the 203 in the badge design.
The finish on the badges is not osd, but oxidized copper or darkened copper. Officers badges for the rifles were silver. The references inidcate that there was also one pattern of oxidized officers' cap badges with silver overlay on the numeral.
Broach fittings are not unusual on Canadian CEF badges. They were not necessarily an officer's distinction. The collar appears to have been broached to become a sweetheart pin, though it may have been done as a convenience to allow for easier mounting and less damage to the tunics.
These badges are not rare, but not easily found either. A value for the cap badges, perhaps $75 ish? (Cdn $)

[whizzbang]

Hi Andy,

The maker's name is Dingwall, Winnipeg, given the letters you have.

I haven't seen too many CEF badges with black paint but there are a few, not sure if that was something that was done in the field.

Brooch fittings are common on CEF officer's badges. Your's look contemporary. In terms of the badges being OSD though I am not too sure - they are usually of a much nicer construction than ORs - heavier and with WM, silver or gilt overlays.

Value - the caps are probably in the order of $60-80 but prices have been all over the place the last year or so!

Cheers, Ian.

[whizzbang]

Heh heh - posted in parallel to Bill here - but we said almost the same things!

[2747andy]

Thanks Bill and Ian,

A very detailed and welcomed response!

Best regards

Andy