6th Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders

[Scotlandthebrave]

Hello gents,
i need some help with this badge (round pattern). How to recognize a good one, two or three lugs ? Some well-know dealers sell the two patterns as genuine.
Thanks beforehand.
Jean-Marie

[Advsmt]

I sympathise with you! This must be one of the most copied (restruck) badges around, especially as the £8 eBay ones are actually very well detailed. The three lugged badge is said to be the correct pattern but I do not know where the original reference comes from. As you say at least one very knowledgable dealer is selling a 2 lugged badge.
From looking at reference books (which generally have poor quality pictures) and searching other internet references it is still very tricky. The cheap eBay varieties seem to have overly hairy deers! I also tend to favour the badges that have relatively wide raised bands on the strap, these bands are also very crisp and with sharp edges, and the whole badge has a rounded look not just the centre deer element. There is at least one thread on this site that has a badge that shows this to good effect.
Aberdeenshire volunteer badges seem to be amongst the most copied badges, and of good quality. I know this is difficult, but if you have a badge in mind, share it, as I think people will be far more likely to comment. It has only been then that what I thought was OK was in fact rubbish. Copied badges with known visible flaws are well documented here, badges that don’t have these tell tale flaws require experience that few of us can acquire as we never handle enough badges, especially volunteer badges. I was desperately after a 5th Gordon VB badge, not really seen any copies, or on dealer sites. But I got is from Boselys. One I handled it it feels unlike other badges, plus I know when I come to sell it it has that provenance that people want. Genuine badges have a look and feel that needs to be experienced. I have kidded myself about others, even when I have had doubts I have bought them - generally I’ve always regretted that decision.
Good luck

Bryan

[Luke H]

I’ve compared the one of Geoff’s (no connection) site to the eBay ones and know sellers of fakes (such as Wharton Militaria).

Geoff’s badge is noticeably different, firstly the style of manufacture, the WM has that tarnish resistance ‘brilliance’ that Victorian badges have, it is deeply and well struck - evident from the rim and reverse detail, the loops are black, of the correct style and without feet. Golden braze has been used. These are all traits in keeping with a genuine early badge.

Secondly, consider the badge itself and the die. Geoff’s badge is superbly detailed. The badges on eBay and dodgy HM badge on Wharton are considerably different: note the lettering, on Geoff’s badge it fits much more snugly to the borders whereas on the others there’s more of a gap; the coronet - poor surfacing on the strawberry leaves, terrible definition on pipping of the band compare results to the quality of Geoff’s badge; also note the difference in the buckle and it’s proximity to the continent; finally the stags horns - on Geoff’s badge the stag has ears at 9 and 3 o’clock whereas the fakers have mistaken these for antler points.

Geoff’s badge strikes me as being completely in keeping with early badges both in style and manufacture and if I were looking for one and had the money I would seriously consider his badge and regard it as genuine.

I do not have any knowledge of Gordon V.B.’s so cannot say for certain if the badge ever was ‘restruck’ from the original die but safe to say the Wharton/eBay style badge is a fake from a fake die and distinguishable from the badge I consider genuine.

I’ve attached photos of the two to highlight differences described. These are just my observations so please feel free to disagree.

[manchesters]

The one with the green backing is a 100% genuine example of a 1900' ish period cap badge.

The other is dross.

regards

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by manchesters

The one with the green backing is a 100% genuine example of a 1900' ish period cap badge.

The other is dross.

regards

Completely agree.

P.S. I should have said Geoff’s badge is on green baize. The horrendous Wharton (possibly) silver fake the red background.

[Charliedog012012]

Excellent post Luke and very informative. Thank you.