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  #16  
Old 02-09-08, 07:46 PM
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James G James G is offline
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Sarmajor

It can't be unique or rare. I'm sure there are about 5oo being manufactured in Pakistan as we speak and will be on e Bay within the week. I'm especially awaiting one on E bay with the following comments.

" Rare Australian Field Marshal's rank badge ( slightly scorched) found by me in a dustbin 50 years ago when I was a garbage collector"
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  #17  
Old 02-09-08, 09:36 PM
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Originally Posted by sarmajor View Post
It is the reverse of what you say in that it is a standard commonwealth insignia for field marshal with the title 'Australia' added.
I would suggest that the Australia embroided on the rank badge is an integral part of that badge.
hi sarmajor
i think thats what i said. 3 standard components or patches in this case sewn together. it appears the the FM emblem has been embroidered direct to the cloth and a crown patch added above and the title ribbon stitched below.
dont get me wrong, its a magnificent item and almost as good a story of how you came by it, but to compare it to a badge that has had a die hand cut (front and back) and then a badge or 2 produced is for me rarer?
bc
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  #18  
Old 02-09-08, 09:54 PM
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Smile Rarity

I reckon a rare badge is one that has never been photographed and appeared in a Bosley catalogue.
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  #19  
Old 03-09-08, 12:13 AM
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Originally Posted by sarmajor View Post
I take it that by anodised badges you are referring to that plastic staybright shit.

I have been given the odd one or two over the last few years (usually current stuff from local corps) and I can only say that they are unadulterated crap.

No doubt the grunts are happy that they do not have to polish them however most have little definition and look glitzy and cheap.
Hi Sarmajor,

Please don't hold back here and tell us what you really think about anodised aluminium badges. I already have some quotes but need others like this for a potential publication I'm currently penning.

Many Thanks

Chris
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  #20  
Old 03-09-08, 02:35 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by badgecollector View Post
hi sarmajor
i think thats what i said. 3 standard components or patches in this case sewn together. it appears the the FM emblem has been embroidered direct to the cloth and a crown patch added above and the title ribbon stitched below.
dont get me wrong, its a magnificent item and almost as good a story of how you came by it, but to compare it to a badge that has had a die hand cut (front and back) and then a badge or 2 produced is for me rarer?
bc
I disagree with your proposition BC and would welcome any contributions to the discussion

Using your interpretation many prized badges held by members would be considered worthless - apart from their sentimental value.

My position about the badge is that, apart from anything else, it has considerable value for a serious collector of rank badges (not that I have any intention of selling it) as, without it, no collection of Australian rank badges could be complete. To be even more explicit I suggest that I am in all likelyhood the only person on this earth that has a complete collection of Australian rank badges that have been formally gazetted, manufactured, issued and actually worn by members of the Australian army.

Without that Australian field marshal's badge nobody else could make that claim.

In any collection would not such an item be valuable to a serious collector in the area of their expertise.

Now you claim that because each of the 4 components (the sleeve, the crossed batons, the crown and the Australia) is relatively common to British/Commonwealth forces the badge has only some sentimental and interest value.

My argument is that all of those items were joined at manufacturer and that the badge should be judged as a whole.

Now, to take the discussion one step further.

You must admit that the (presumably) Irish helmet plate that I have posted in another thread is reasonably rare - so rare/unique that no knowledgeable member has yet been able to positively identify it.

That badge is made up of a Star and Victorian crown (reasonably common to a number of different regiments of that area, the garter - also common to many badges (past and present) and the also relatively common Maid of Erin.

Individually the parts are not unusual however, joined together at manufacture, they form a badge of some value.

Now what is the difference between that badge and the rank badge?

My question "is the sum of a badge greater than its parts".

I would be quite interested in any argued response. In fact that question may be worthy of a separate thread.

What does everyone think?
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  #21  
Old 04-09-08, 01:27 AM
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I can see this thread becoming decidedly ugly. Sarmajor, while I have a few A/A badges in my collection, quite a few others do collect them. Especially younger collectors who can't afford the older less common and more expensive badges. I feel your use of the word "Shit" to describe A/A badges is uncalled for. How would you feel if someone called your collection "Shit"?

Regards, Michael
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Last edited by ard-ri; 04-09-08 at 01:32 AM.
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  #22  
Old 04-09-08, 02:19 AM
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Originally Posted by ard-ri View Post
I can see this thread becoming decidedly ugly. Sarmajor, while I have a few A/A badges in my collection, quite a few others do collect them. Especially younger collectors who can't afford the older less common and more expensive badges. I feel your use of the word "Shit" to describe A/A badges is uncalled for. How would you feel if someone called your collection "Shit"?

Regards, Michael
Point taken

I apologise for my comments to A/A badge collectors as I had no intention whatsoever of offending anyone.

My comments were purely for asthetic reasons as most such badges that I have seen (primarily current issue Australian badges) have been overshiny, the lettering indistinct and usually unimpressive.

I can only say that, not having much idea of values - nor being a buyer or seller of badges - my comments were not related to the value of the badges but only to the appearance of the ones that I have seen and not meant, in any way, to put down collectors of those items.

I will watch my throwaway words in future and hope that collectors do not take offence.

Last edited by sarmajor; 04-09-08 at 02:26 AM.
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  #23  
Old 06-09-08, 07:38 AM
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Further to my original post I find when looking through my unsorted badges that I do have the 2 field marshal rank slides

You will note that the one I post here is better made than the one in my initial post (the crown is slightly off centre in the first one - a manufacturing defect) and, as it is not attached on to a belt with other cloth badges, there is no stitching around the edges

My apologies to Terry in that I mislead him (and myself) in stating that Lady Blamey did not give me a pair

Blame it on the Altzheimers (after all I am 78), the fact that I have not seen those badges for over 20 years and that she gave them to me over 50 years ago - before most members here were more than a glint in their daddy's eye.

I found the rank slide posted here while rummaging through a bag containing rank badges and officers slides - of all ranks and corps colours.

On reflection it was probably the general officer's rank badge (fairly common as it does not have 'Australia' embroidered on it) that she gave me (the other being scorched) as I can only find the one in that bag.

Obviously I much prefer having 2 field marshal's rank slides (domiciled to Australia) than two standard general's badges.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Field Marshall 2.jpg (36.7 KB, 22 views)

Last edited by sarmajor; 06-09-08 at 07:53 AM.
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  #24  
Old 30-05-12, 01:00 PM
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Default Australian Field Marshal epaulettes

sarmajor, I'm fascinated to see your post on Sir Thomas Blamey's rank epaulette.

I was not so fortunate to find the rank insignia of the only Australian Field Marshal in history, but I did find a set of more recently made Field Marshal epaulettes on the Australian DPM camo material.

These have the QC instead of the KC, and were prepared for British royalty on a visit, or in the event Australia had a general promoted.

As it is, these ended up in my collection, and I have not seen another pair since.



Alf


Quote:
Originally Posted by sarmajor View Post
This is probably the rarest badge ever worn by a member of the British or Commonwealth forces.

It is the cloth shoulder rank badge of Field Marshal Sir Thomas Blamey (a man not particularly popular with the rank and file) but the Commander in Chief of the Australian military forces during WWll.
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