Sphinx; collar badge?

[cbuehler]

Have had this very small collar badge sized Sphinx (smaller than the usual tunic size) for awhile now and never have been sure of what it is for. Possibly mess dress? But the brooch fitting is not what I would expect.
Thanks,
CB

[Mike H]

I looks like the one the Glosters wore for a short time . Never seen one with a gilt headdress and tablet though.

[Alex Rice]

I think privately gilded for a sweetheart brooch.

[cbuehler]

Thanks, I also am thinking it likely a sweetheart conversion. Strange for such a purpose though as the regiment is not clearly identified by it.

CB

[leigh kitchen]

Could've been a 1920's-30's conversion during the "Tut" craze for all things Egypt?

[fairlie63]

By General Orders dated 31 October and 1 November 1803 the members of the various companies of RA that had served in Egypt in 1801 were permitted to wear a badge of the Sphinx and the word Egypt on their regimental caps as a personal honour.

Given that it is not recognised as a particular Regiment's badge could it date from an earlier period?

[leigh kitchen]

Churchill's "History Of The British Infantry Collar Badge" shows similar sphinx collar badges (female, headdress pattern, tail raised and pointing backwards) in white metal but without "EGYPT" on the tablet as being worn by Monmouthshire Volunteer units.
It mentions some Volunteer units submitting white metal sphinxes with "EGYPT" for approval but having to adopt patterns with blank tablet.
On 17th March 1898 approval was given to The 4th VB for a new white metal sphinx with "EGYPT" to be worn.
In 1908 the unit became The 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regiment.

Possibly the badge shown is a 4VB collar badge prettied up with a bit of gold colouring as a sweetheart?

I havn't been all the way through Churchill's to check for other candidates, just The SWB / Mon's have got my head spinning a bit.

[eddie]

Hi,
The South Wales Borderers volunteers battalions, used the same type of collars as the Manchester Regiment.
Cheers,
Dave

[leigh kitchen]

I havn't worked through the book as far as the Manchester's, just matched descriptions and illustrations of the "SWB" collars.

[cbuehler]

Thanks again all. The mystery continues. I have some standard ORs SWB and Mancunian collar badges, but they are larger than this badge. Also, no remains of lugs can be detected and the application of the gilding is apparently not regulation of any sort. It may possibly have no military relation and is a Tut craze civilian item as Leigh mentioned.
As a one off badge made as a sweetheart, I would have expected a heraldically correct left facing badge with something more to identify the specific regiment though.

CB