Early Anodised Wiltshire Regiment Cap Badge On eBay

[hagwalther]

Hi Guys,

re: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wiltshire-Regi...1%7C240%3A1318

That slider is not a FIRMIN one but is by the LONDON BADGE AND BUTTON COMPANY which are often unmarked.

Note the line about 4mm from the top of the slider - found on genuine anodised badges by this company.

Far for me to call it a questionable item but I would just like to say that I wonld not touch this thin tinny looking item with a barge pole.

Regards

Chris

[hagwalther]

And another - this time by 'GAUNT'.

Note the line on the slider about 4mm from the top guys.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wiltshire-Regi...1%7C240%3A1318

Regards

Chris

[hagwalther]

If anyone knows who is knocking these out please contact me.

Regards

Chris

[Alan O]

http://www.kellysearch.co.uk/gb-company-900769428.html

LB&B Company was founded in 1973 so this cannot be an original 1950's slider.

Alan

[Mike H]

Personal opinion, a fake

[hagwalther]

Originally Posted by Alan Owen

http://www.kellysearch.co.uk/gb-company-900769428.html

LB&B Company was founded in 1973 so this cannot be an original 1950's slider.

Alan

Absolutely Alan !!!

If we ever need proof that these two badges are fakes then the sliders prove it. These badges are FAKE pure and simple with the evidence for all to see. I think this is the first time that catagorical proof exists for dodgy 'anodised aluminium' cap badges and not just a gut feeling that something is not quite right with the materials used etc.

Now we need to know who made them and supplied them to the seller.

Take notice collectors of Anodised badges - the bad guys are at work in our field for sure.

Regards

Chris

[ukbrits]

Hi Chris,
Both badges read J.R Gaunt London on closer inspection.
Regards
Colin

[hagwalther]

Originally Posted by ukbrits

Hi Chris,
Both badges read J.R Gaunt London on closer inspection.
Regards
Colin

Hi Colin,

Well that puts a slightly different slant on it but they are definately not Gaunt sliders but another maker.

Spent quite a few days looking a sliders lately - nearly drove me nuts.

Regards

Chris

[hagwalther]

Hi Guys,

Checking my files of J R Gaunt maker marks I find I don't have one with letters this small which is where my error came from when calling it a Firmin one.

Even the darn maker mark is a fake unless someone can show one here.

I have attached a slider marked by the London Badge And Button Co Ltd.

Note that line guys about 4 mm from the top of the slider and the equally curved 'point'.

Badge is the General Service Corp which is a modern 5 quid item and not one ever likely to be faked.

Regards

Chris

[matti467]

Hello, read the post and most fascinated, just a quick question as to another overpriced a/a cap badge. Why are East Surrey a/a cap badges so expensive, I have been quoited £50-100 for the item and I have yet to add one to my East Surrey collection.
Thanks for your time
Matti

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by hagwalther

I have attached a slider marked by the London Badge And Button Co Ltd.

Note that line guys about 4 mm from the top of the slider and the equally curved 'point'.

Badge is the General Service Corp which is a modern 5 quid item and not one ever likely to be faked.

Regards

Chris

The GSC badge has been produced for the MoD in the last couple of years, (sure I have done this once).

[hagwalther]

Originally Posted by matti467

Hello, read the post and most fascinated, just a quick question as to another overpriced a/a cap badge. Why are East Surrey a/a cap badges so expensive, I have been quoited £50-100 for the item and I have yet to add one to my East Surrey collection.
Thanks for your time
Matti

Hi Matti,

I don't know about this particular one but Alan Owen may help you here. I do know that basically I have stopped buying expensive 'rare' anodised badges until I actually know what I am buying.

The problem is this. With the exception of a few obvious fakes as per examples here many anodised badges were commissioned by non authorised sources be them military museums or private individuals and made by official MoD manufacturers. Firmin have confirmed to me that both transactions occured.

What I am trying to do is to sort out the official authorised items from these private commissions - wheat from the chaff so to speak. When I know what is official and what is not I will release my results but this may well be some time be it months or even years.

Many badges shown in books on the subject are in my opinion unofficial items and I'm only interested in authorized badges but which is which is the problem that I face and I'm sure so do many others.

Regards

Chris

[Mike H]

Originally Posted by matti467

Hello, read the post and most fascinated, just a quick question as to another overpriced a/a cap badge. Why are East Surrey a/a cap badges so expensive, I have been quoited £50-100 for the item and I have yet to add one to my East Surrey collection.
Thanks for your time
Matti

A rare item Matti,not many about.Im sure youd find one at a fair for less than the prices youve been quoted,but not by a lot.Mine cost me £25 in 1997,i was rather pleased at the time.

[hagwalther]

Originally Posted by 54Bty

The GSC badge has been produced for the MoD in the last couple of years, (sure I have done this once).

Bigger mark this time but all the characteristics of this company.

Someone has been getting hold of these either as unattached items or by removing them from cheaper badges and stamping them with a dodgy mark and adding them to a fake thin tin body.

Regards

Chris

[Alan O]

The reason East surreys are so expensive is that the Regular Bn did not wear them but were still wearing metal badges when it was changed to Brigade badges in 1958. Unlike other regts, the East Surrey TA also stopped wearing the 'old' design as it amalgamated with the West Surreys and the new badge was the TA Queens Royal Surreys. (lamb on a silver star all in a/a). Several of the old pre-1958 Infantry Bn badges were worn by the TA and cadets in the 1960s/70s/80s; which is why they are so many about. There was however no TA Bn of the East Surreys from 1960-68 nor was the old badge reused by the 1968 creation of the TAVR III which saw old badges made in a/a.

Unlike the DLI/Yorks and Lancs/Cameronians etc there does not seem to have been any Cadet use of the East Surreys badge so none were made in a/a. Also unlike many other regts, Gaunts or other makers do not seem to have made this design for commercial sale in 1970s/80s.

This is one badge I have never seen outside of a photograph.

Alan