Fake Cambridgeshire Badges

[thursdaychris]

Hi, I have been rather reluctant to bring this subject up, as these particular badges are my latest interest. But, every day I look at dozens of them on Picclick UK, and elsewhere, and "Sods Law" dictates that a few of them have got to be dodgy merchandise. I have attached several pics of badges that I would not want, how many more are there, I wonder?

[Sonofacqms]

None of the badges shown would be welcome in my collection, for a small Territorial Regiment there is an absolute plethora of badges available.

Rob

[David Moore]

I’m currently looking for a 1916 economy. Again for a small territorial regiment a huge number out there. Any tips on spotting a good one?

[thursdaychris]

Hi David, I can post a couple of pics of the pair that I have, both are good ones, as far as I know. Are you looking for Cambs badge variants, and if so, how many have you found so far?

[Sonofacqms]

This 1916 Cambridgeshire economy is deemed a fake, albeit a good one IMO, one to watch out for in the future.

Rob

[David Moore]

Hi Chris, thank you for sharing your images. I have probably got about half a dozen Cambridgeshire regiment cap badges, including the WW2 economy. I have an interesting bi-metal example, which has been painted the same chocolate brown colour as the early WW2 Brodie helmet?
When I was a teenager, a gentleman who came from the same Cambridgeshire village as my mum, gave me examples of the with E and without E badges, along with a plastic Woman’s HG auxiliary badge, he said they came from a former member of Linton HG.
I am currently looking for WW1 economy, OSD, OR with SA scroll and OSD with SA scroll.

[David Moore]

Hi Rob, this is why I have not yet purchased an economy, the example you show is so convincing, much more so than bi- metal fakes.

[thursdaychris]

Hello Rob, I wonder what makes the 1916 Cambs Economy you've shown, a fake, it doesn't look much different from the 2nd one of mine. It isn't the clearest image, of course, but that particular badge came from Geoff Newman, and can still be seen on his website (Code 21767)

David is also looking for the Cambs ORs badge with SA Scroll, good luck to both of us with that one! I have fairly recently bought several of the OSD cap and collar badges that were available, I've found with those, if you really want them, you have to pay whatever the seller is asking for them. Like me, you will probably be told that they're too expensive, but, of course, that's the only reason that they are actually still available.

I have several new additions for my Cambs display, plus there's another couple still on their way from SA. I will need to reframe the whole lot of them, shortly. The postperson brought me a very nice matching pair of OSD collars, yesterday, the other pair that I have, don't match, one of them has blades???

[Sonofacqms]

Hello Thursdaychris, in answer to your first question as to what makes my badge a fake, the answer is "I don't really know", I put it up on the forum classifieds some while ago and was told by a member(s) that it was a fake, it had me fooled and as I am not in the habit of offering anything for sale on the forum that I think is "Iffy", I took it off.

As for the badge with SA Hons, now at least two people are looking for a specimen you will probably have to pay whatever the asking price is as they do not turn up often.

Now for the good news, you have done really well with the collar badges, especially the one with blades as it is not a collar badge but a cap badge which was worn by officers during the 1940's, possibly not official, but a scarce item nonetheless.

Rob

[thursdaychris]

Aha! so that is a cap badge after all then, Rob, it came from Minden, where it was described as a cap badge, but I had disregarded that. I had almost convinced myself that Cambs OSD collar badges with scroll, that I have seen mentioned, and not been able to find anywhere, had blades as well, due, mostly, to this one badge.

[Sonofacqms]

I have a pair of OSD collar badges with SA Hons, they are not full size and bought from Bosleys some years ago, they have loops.

I also have a sweetheart brooch with SA Hons which is made from the same die, I think this is an original and not made from a collar badge.

As for full size OSD collar badges with SA Hons I have never seen any in over forty years of collecting Cambridgeshire badges, I would think they exist or should do, but extremely rare.

Rob

[thursdaychris]

Well now, Rob, you have seen at least one full size OSD collar with SA Hons, in fact, it was you that drew my attention to it. Minden had it listed as a cap badge, "of course", but as was pointed out, by someone else, at the time, when I bought it, it is in fact, a collar badge. I've also attached pics of the OSD cap badge with SA Hons that I managed to add to the collection on the very same day.

All I need now is a full size scrolled collar of the 1914 type, without SA Hons, and although I do like pairs of everything, I don't think that I'll be getting pairs of these particular badges, any time soon!

[Home Guard]

This may be a little off topic, but I have a question about Cambridgeshire cap badges, which seeing the various collar badges makes me want to ask. The collar badges seem to have a flat topped shield, and I have a flat topped cap badge with the missing "E", plus one with the curved topped shield.

My question is does the shape of the top of the shield determine a good or bad badge, or are both just good but different makers/variations?

Thnaks,

Terry

[thursdaychris]

Well, Terry, I can't be very much help with this, I'm afraid, I'm hoping that all of these small differences are different makers variations. I have yet to hear the dreaded Martin Marsh get mentioned, did he make any Cambs badges, I ask myself. I have also found that I've been paying rather more attention to the back of these badges, braze holes and slots have got to be quite good signs, methinks.

[Sonofacqms]

Oh dear!
It seems in my enthusiastic way I missed a Cambridgeshire badge that I would like for my collection, the full size collar with SA Honour scroll, I must concentrate more!

Although it was listed as a cap badge.

Rob