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  #1  
Old 21-01-08, 07:34 PM
Kate L Kate L is offline
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Default Info on sweetheart badges?

Before today I had never heard of sweetheart badges, and I'm curious to know more.
When my mother died recently, we found an RAF brooch badge in her posession. We assumed that it was some kind of dress badge, but having just searched for photos, I've discovered that it is a 'sweetheart' badge. The badge is very likely this one: http://www.ww2wings.com/wings/britai...etheart5.shtml except that the central RAF lettering is in royal blue, not red.
I gather that sweetheart badges were bought by the serviceman for their nearest and dearest, but I can find little more about this. I'm intrigued, as my father didn't meet my mother until some years after he was demobbed (he served ca 1942-1946/7 and they met in 1951). Where would he have bought the badge from? Would he have bought it while he was serving (which raises questions about who he bought it for)?, or could he have bought it after he met my mother?
Hope that you can enlighten me or point me in the direction of more information.
Thanks, Kate
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  #2  
Old 21-01-08, 09:19 PM
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54Bty 54Bty is offline
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These badges could be and still can be purchased from; Service Organisations, Ex-Service Organisations, Regiments, Corps, Museum Shops, and Jewllers.
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Old 21-01-08, 11:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kate L View Post
Before today I had never heard of sweetheart badges, and I'm curious to know more.
When my mother died recently, we found an RAF brooch badge in her posession. We assumed that it was some kind of dress badge, but having just searched for photos, I've discovered that it is a 'sweetheart' badge. The badge is very likely this one: http://www.ww2wings.com/wings/britai...etheart5.shtml except that the central RAF lettering is in royal blue, not red.
I gather that sweetheart badges were bought by the serviceman for their nearest and dearest, but I can find little more about this. I'm intrigued, as my father didn't meet my mother until some years after he was demobbed (he served ca 1942-1946/7 and they met in 1951). Where would he have bought the badge from? Would he have bought it while he was serving (which raises questions about who he bought it for)?, or could he have bought it after he met my mother?
Hope that you can enlighten me or point me in the direction of more information.
Thanks, Kate
Hi Kate,

Sweetheart badges are as you know very pretty and there was a vairety of types produced: small circular polished - tortoise shell (which often had a silver rim and regimental device central) broaches, Mother of pearl again with regimental badge in the centre - these were made prior to just after the first war with a silver rim which was later dropped, enamelled, plated, guilded - there are endless types of these little gems. It's actually a really interesting field to collect and the badges are of course very dainty... prices range depending on the quality, condition and age but you can still pick ww2 enammeled sweethearts up for a few quid.

Hope that helps a little .

Luke
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Old 22-01-08, 07:24 AM
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Peter Brydon Peter Brydon is offline
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Kate,

If you want to see some very nice examples at the top end of the market,if you visit Bosleys Military Auctioneers site, their is a link to their associated Military Sweethearts site.

P.B.
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Old 22-01-08, 09:12 AM
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Hi Kate,
Probably the standard reference work on sweetheart badges is Military Sweetheart Jewellery by Pamela M.Caunt in 3 editions.The Guides sell for aound £7.00 each and covers every area of sweetheart badges with profuse photographs of the badges.
Good Luck
Regards
Bantam
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  #6  
Old 22-01-08, 09:07 PM
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Stanley_C_Jenkins Stanley_C_Jenkins is offline
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I believe this is an example of a WWII Royal Artillery sweetheart badge:
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  #7  
Old 23-01-08, 01:45 PM
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sweetheart typical assortment........ (black watch is probably a vets lapel though)..... mother of pearl backing is a common design theme, small regiment badge on a rifle too, see last image of my pride and joy, The Northumberland fusiliers.

these things can be as simple as a regimental button soldered onto a pin, right up to gold encrusted with diamonds and worth hundreds of pounds.

Stanley looks like he has a gold Artillery one (post above) which is nice.

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Old 23-01-08, 05:08 PM
Kate L Kate L is offline
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Thanks everyone - they really are lovely items aren't they? I'll have a look at the books someone mentioned. In the meantime, if anyone knows any more about how usual it was for servicemen to buy these badges for potential future sweethearts or wives, or to buy them several years after demob for their fiancee/wife, I'd be very interested. My Dad was never someone who was very interested in maintaining his contacts with the RAF, and my sister and I never knew that my mother had this sweetheart badge in her posession, so we're very intrigued about those questions.
Thanks again.
Kate
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  #9  
Old 15-02-08, 01:08 AM
CEFWW1 CEFWW1 is offline
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Kate:

The mere fact sweetheart pins are readily available 60 years after WW2 & 90 years after WW1 is a pretty good indicator that many more were probably available shortly after WW2. The price of many WW1 examples (particularly Canadian) has pushed them out of the price range of many collectors, including this writer.

Hugh
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  #10  
Old 26-03-08, 05:46 PM
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DON'T FOREGET that most sweetheart pins from WW11 where still valid for Korea thus there was a glut on the market especially for some of the so called premier units. There are still good bargin out there for the WW11 Korea era but you are correct WW1 pins now reach 80.00 to 100.00 plus now for the good one on a regular basis thanks to ebay.
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  #11  
Old 05-08-08, 08:18 PM
f j ross f j ross is offline
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Default ypres sweetheart badge

I have a small (inch and half) bayonette badge mother of pearl handle with ypres written along blade. Been told its a WW1 sweetheart badge. Anyone with any information? It appears to be in original presentation box. cheers
fraser
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  #12  
Old 05-08-08, 10:04 PM
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These where part of a series listed in Gaunt's book page 37 under battle fields and towns. Have never seen this with the manufacturer's box though can you post a pic ? WW1

PAUL
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  #13  
Old 05-08-08, 11:12 PM
f j ross f j ross is offline
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Default ypres sweetheart badge

trying to upload sry if it does not work!!! new to the picture taking !!!
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Old 06-08-08, 06:05 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by f j ross View Post
trying to upload sry if it does not work!!! new to the picture taking !!!
The box looks very nice nice but its impossible to tell whether its the original or not - i.e. the picture isn't so good - hint, hint.
After nearly a hundred years I would have expected it to be a little bit tatty, I have some sweetheart boxes from the 40's and are ok, but not pristine - I wouldn't expect them to be. A name from the box might help.
The brooch looks very nice by the way and yes Gaylor does have a section on them - they are called Battle brooches and yours appears to be in very good condition. As mentioned better pictures would help.
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  #15  
Old 06-08-08, 09:22 AM
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They came in two types one a pin backed brooch and the other a stick-pin arrangement.

I have a stick-pin that I know is 100%, my great grandfather owned it, and used to wear it on parades with the RBL when he was a standard bearer.

Tom
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