RIF - Opinions Please?

[Luke H]

Hi All,

My uncle has this Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers that I can't make up my mind on and have been musing over for a while...

It has the signs of a fake in that there's no seperation between the WM overlay between the flag and castle, secondly no braze holes.

However, the badge is hard as nails, has great patina, has obviously been well polished (would take hours to get the flames on the grenade looking that smooth) and has what I would class as an alright 'tapering' slider to it.

My view is most probably an old restrike from left over original stores of metal and sliders - although this doesn't explain the polishing. Must admit I'm at a loss guys, any ideas?

Cheers,

Luke

I must add that the photos from a slight angle in artifical light do no justice to the patina at all.

[jeanpit-frenchy]

my 2 inninskillings.

1/ flag left (from my grand father ) i hope is genuine ww1 (we dont see the brazing hole, behind castle on the picture)

2/ flag right (polished to death, buy in GB) for me genuine too, because brazing holes(3) and very polised .

[dragonz18]

Luke ,
something very strange I've noticed about your badge.
It has no windows??
Usually 4x 'slot' windows in each of the 3 towers. As on Frenchy's badges.
Makes you think , what the .......!
I've not seen this B4. But someone else may have ?
Could always be a maker's variation/mistake, I guess ? Or......then again, maybe not ?

Cheers !
Steve

[Alan O]

Originally Posted by jeanpit-frenchy

my 2 inninskillings.

1/ flag left (from my grand father ) i hope is genuine ww1 (we dont see the brazing hole, behind castle on the picture)

2/ flag right (polished to death, buy in GB) for me genuine too, because brazing holes(3) and very polised .

Both look fine to me. The Flag left is pre 1924 and the Flag Right one is from after 1934 by the way.

Alan

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by dragonz18

Luke ,
something very strange I've noticed about your badge.
It has no windows??
Usually 4x 'slot' windows in each of the 3 towers. As on Frenchy's badges.
Makes you think , what the .......!
I've not seen this B4. But someone else may have ?
Could always be a maker's variation/mistake, I guess ? Or......then again, maybe not ?

Cheers !
Steve

Hi Steve,

I've a genuine one with no windows, (ie braze holes, crimped nice slider, properly cut out flag and nicely polished to boot - pics attached)... I noticed it also but is strange I must admit. I believe it be a makers variation

Obviously a very secure castle at Enniskillin!

Luke