Norfolk Volunteer Battalion

[Luke H]

Having waited since the summer for this badge which was in a provincial auction house lot to reappear on a dealers site or eBay to no avail it’s time to ask the forum.

It is a standard pattern Norfolk Regiment badge in white metal with a tagged on Volunteer Battalion scroll, sadly number isn’t discernible.

If anyone on the forum bought this badge or has a similar example in their collection I’d be most grateful to see a close up picture.

[Bannister]

Hi Luke
I’ve never seen one of those before with a scroll added below. Every VB badge I have ever seen has the tri-part scroll ‘X VB Norfolk Regt’. Interested to hear what others say, but initial thoughts are to be suspicious of this badge. Shame the photos aren’t clearer.
Paul

[norfolk regt man]

Hi, at the moment I feel the badge is correct, Norfolk does seem to have a few badges with extra scrolls.

[norfolk regt man]

More photos

[norfolk regt man]

Common repo scroll

[norfolk regt man]

This scroll came from the military tailor in Norwich.

[leigh kitchen]

Used on a range of fakes someone produced, regular bimetal badges embellished with the additional tabbed scroll and a silver coloured plating?

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by Bannister

Hi Luke
I’ve never seen one of those before with a scroll added below. Every VB badge I have ever seen has the tri-part scroll ‘X VB Norfolk Regt’. Interested to hear what others say, but initial thoughts are to be suspicious of this badge. Shame the photos aren’t clearer.
Paul

I’m in no doubt the main wm badge itself is most certainly genuine, it’s not one of the fake dies nor one I’ve seen restruck.

The common V.B. repro scroll is shown in post #6 below with the rounded letter ends etc.

However it’s evident from the albeit poor pic that the tagged scroll ends doesn’t curl back and under (like the fake) but appears more like the below examples.

The 2nd V.B. Northumberland Fusiliers is from David Wright’s collection and I believe in Dennis Wood’s book.

I’ve also seen a V.B. Cheshire with a similar scroll on a long slider, sadly cannot find the pic.

[Bannister]

I’ve never seen Norfolk helmet plates before either with VB scrolls added like that. Thanks for sharing these Luke and Andrew.

[Neil s]

The main Badge appears to be the same as the W/M example in my Norfolk VB album not that common to be tarting up I would have thought just an opinion

[Sonofacqms]

I do not often comment on the originality of badges, but this Norfolk Volunteer Battalion badge seems totally contrived, as to whether the scrolls curl or are straight I think it looks totally unbalanced.

The white metal cap badge I think is totally original and for my money OK, but with this scroll, not one I would want on my Norfolk Board.

This is only an opinion and I may be wrong.

Rob

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by Sonofacqms

I do not often comment on the originality of badges, but this Norfolk Volunteer Battalion badge seems totally contrived, as to whether the scrolls curl or are straight I think it looks totally unbalanced.

The white metal cap badge I think is totally original and for my money OK, but with this scroll, not one I would want on my Norfolk Board.

This is only an opinion and I may be wrong.

Rob

You are right we need better images to be certain.

But, logically options must be:

1. It’s all original and as made i.e. a seemingly unrecorded V.B. badge.
Or
2. The Wm Norfolk is original but the V.B. scroll is a fake later addition.
Or
3. Both parts are genuine but did not start out life together.

My observations would be the apparent colour of the braze on the loops looks a good match to that visible on the scroll. And as mentioned the V.B. scroll shape does not match the usual fakes plus hitching bits to scarce and already valuable original badges is less uncommon.

These points don’t totally rule out options 2 or 3 but I do think make them less likely on balance.

Re your point of the unbalanced scroll a couple noticeably off-centre SA scrolls here and here.

From memory the lot of about fifty five badges sold for £170.

[Sonofacqms]

Once again an old "chestnut" on the forum, an all white metal Norfolk Regt cap badge, who wore it?

Was it a "Walking out" badge of the regular Norfolk Regt?

Was it a generic Volunteer Btn badge?

After all, on my Norfolk board there is a white metal helmet plate to the Norfolk Volunteers with no Btn number so who wore this?

I am afraid the Jury for me is out on this, an all white metal badge with a scroll attached albeit one that is not quite IMO in proportion, the fact that there is no reference at the moment as far as we know as to it's originality.

Other Norfolk collectors thoughts welcome.

Rob

[Holyboy]

Never ever seen one of those in over 40 years of collecting. The all WM Norfolk badge is genuine but nobody really knows who wore it was it militia or made before the VB badges. Nobody knows but imoo I don’t like it with that added scroll.

[Luke H]

I agree Dean that I’ve never seen one either and nor do we know for sure who wore the ‘standard’ Wm strikes of the Norfolk badge.

Also appreciate some on here view not knowing who wore a badge as making it spurious.

However, that one of the suggestions is indeed early Vols before the bespoke badges and two genuine V.B’s shown above (EY and NF) have added (apparently) the same/similar V.B. scroll to a wm strike of their standard badge, this does seem to add a degree precedence to the idea.

Rightly the is huge cynicism with regards to V.B. and plague of added scrolls.

However, as I’ve said, after extensive study of Laurie Archers notes, M Marsh wares and other fakes on the market this badge holds some promise are my observations. Not one I would write off based on what we can or can’t see at present.

Given it hasn’t resurfaced online I can mentally picture it sat in a little antiques shop somewhere, perhaps for a humble tenner!