1VB Leicesters

[Alan O]

I would be far more content with London mark for 1905-08.

I believe the Bham badge shown is a modern copy.

Alan

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by Volunteer Soldier

To help and aid discussion I can now add that Bosley's auction included a 1VB Leicesters badge on 25 Feb 2004. The description was sparse and showed only a front of badge photo. The description read "Lot 132 1st (Leicester) VB Leicestershire Regiment cap badge. JR Gaunt London shaped plate to reverse. Old replacement loops. VGC." That makes Gaunt B'ham, Gaunt Birm and Gaunt London.

That is interesting. I have only ever seen eight or nine other ranks examples and none had a Gaunt London plaque.

I wonder if they’ve made a typo re the plaque and it is in fact ‘Gaunt B’ham’ as they’ve take the unusual step to described it as ‘shaped’.

[Volunteer Soldier]

Who knows? I certainly don't. But if a rather lax typist was responsible for an error then I wonder if the error was to omit a comma after London.

[Luke H]

There’s currently a King’s up on Bosley’s website described as being by JR Gaunt London but the slider very clearly reads Firmin London.

I suppose the only way we will know for certain is if the buyer of the badge just so happened to be a forum member and was in a position to show us the piece in question.

[Neil s]

I have acquired one of the badges that began this post it seems to be of white metal that has been silver plated looking in Dean's album his badge looks to be the same.
The second badge I already had it looks the same type as chairborne's second badge I had commented that his had a fault on the top scroll have removed mine from its tray and looked at it with a loop there's a similar fault but in the lower scroll.
It seems therefore we have two patterns one silver with silver lugs and one silver plate with copper lugs

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[Volunteer Soldier]

Hello Neil, Many thanks.I eventually found a couple of lots of VB Leicester badges in two separate Bosley auctions. On 25 Feb 2004 Lot 132 1st (Leicester) VB Leicestershire Regiment cap badge. JR Gaunt, London, shaped plate to reverse. Old replacement loops. VGC (£40-£60). I don't have any further details. On 25th February 2012 catalogue issue 65 Lot 3 1st VB Leicestershire Regiment Officer's cap badge South Africa scroll. blades, GC. There is no mention of a Gaunt plaque.
Lot 4 was an OR's badge wm and in VGC JR & Son Ltd B'ham plate to reverse loops. Lot 5 was the 3 lion FS cap circa 1896. Lot 6 was described as "..an unusual bi-metal cap badge with a blank scroll, Ludlow, London. Loops. VGC. to the naked eye one can discern that the on-scroll battle honour has been incompletely erased. Lots 7,8 and 9 all feature different versions of the 4/5/6 Bn badge namely Officer's silvered badge post 1908 with JR Gaunt Ltd Birm blades as K & K 1714. An officer's bim badge with Gaunt B'ham blades and, finally, a cast silver cap badge with laurel leaves on the top scroll. blades. Bosley's own photographic rights. In sum we have JR Gaunt London, JR Gaunt & Son Ltd Birm, Gaunt B'ham and JR Gaunt Ltd Birm. of course, this may be a typo's shorthand.

[Luke H]

I forgot about this badge.

Herewith an Aberystwyth OTC with the much debated irregular Gaunt B’ham plaque. Interestingly the shape is the same but bulbous end reversed.

And a die stamped 1st V.B. Leicestershire with Gaunt & Sons tablet sold in the last Bosley’s auction (6th Dec) for £140 hammer.