17th Lancers or Successor Unit's White Metal Motto. - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

leigh kitchen · #1 12-03-19, 01:42 PM

A motto that was given to me 20 years ago.
The friend who gave it to me had bought
it in Sweden and thought that it was very old.
I condemed it as "fake" at first glance, but I'd better do a belt and braces job and ask the forum for opinions in the event it's a known variation used on headgear or other clothing or equipment at some time.
I'm still going with "fake" pending other info.

Sonofacqms · #2 12-03-19, 02:04 PM

I am no expert on mottoes, by my take on this one is it is cast and it has silver coloured loops E-W which could be silver, does it test silver?

Also it never winked at me

Rob

leigh kitchen · #3 12-03-19, 02:17 PM

Never thought of it being silver, the metal does have a crisp, bright appearance. There's a small green patch on the back possibly indicating that it's failed a nitric acid test. No mark left when rubbed on paper, I'm not geared up for acid or ice testing - could try bleach I suppose?

Lancer 17 · #4 13-03-19, 04:02 AM

G'day Leigh.

Im not real happy about this one, Im suss as its cast and not die struck. It appears to be from an early die with "ears" on either side of the skull and with lugs it would appear to be an officers Motto, but I doubt it.

I have a shoe box full of Mottoes and not one is die cast. I do have an arm Motto / Chadd that is die cast and Im not happy with this one either. There are a number of these Chadds for sale on various dealers lists and they all have the same rear shaping and I think that they are all repros.

Hope that this helps.

Regards Phil.

leigh kitchen · #5 13-03-19, 05:52 AM

Hello, thanks, no surprise it's a wrong 'un, but I didn't know the info. about the possible dating of the die that would've been used on the original from which it's copied. I couldn't see it being an officer's badge as it's too crude.
It's back to my "collection" of the bad and the iffy.

Lancer 17 · #6 13-03-19, 06:41 AM

Hi Leigh

When I say an officers badge, thats because of the lugs rather than a slider. Yes very rough and definitely not an officers badge.

Re the "ears" these are little protrusions on the side of the skull. The earliest C1896 Mottoes had ears and lugs and the first slidered Mottoes had ears. After that the sides of the skull doesn't have the ears, however the ears continued to be used on officers Mottos which would also have lugs rather than a slider.

The ears have made a reappearance on the AA Mottoes used by 17th/21st Lancers and QRL.

I hope that this helps.

Regards Phil.