1st and 2nd Life Guards - Request for help! - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

2747andy · #1 26-10-13, 05:53 PM

Does anyone have a genuine 1st and 2nd Life Guards badge they'd be prepared to share an image of please? I only have this theatre made(?)/cast example and plenty of fakes! It would be nice to "See one in the Flesh"!

Andy

GriffMJ · #2 26-10-13, 05:56 PM

oooops.... you want a combined

Alan O · #3 26-10-13, 05:57 PM

Theatre made for the 1st and 2nd LG? the only theatre they went between 1920 and 1928 to was the Old Vic...

GriffMJ · #4 26-10-13, 06:12 PM

There is one on a dealers website at the moment ...... "PT" ..... that appears to be OK?

magpie · #5 26-10-13, 07:08 PM

It was only in use for a couple of months, and i was told it is doubtful if any more than 6 had been made.
Andy.

2747andy · #6 26-10-13, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magpie

It was only in use for a couple of months, and i was told it is doubtful if any more than 6 had been made.
Andy.

Andy,
Thanks for the post, where does such a low figure as 6 come from?

Andy

magpie · #7 26-10-13, 09:24 PM

I was told that 1st and 2nd was not popular among officers who chose to wear thier own badge of first or second from which they came and the subtitle was soon omitted, the badge was officers only and most likely junior officers joining after the time of amalgamation.
I know of only one other person to have had one and the one that i own was only the second he had seen in 38 years of dealing.

Andy.

2747andy · #8 26-10-13, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GriffMJ

There is one on a dealers website at the moment ...... "PT" ..... that appears to be OK?

Griff,
Not a fan!

Andy

2747andy · #9 26-10-13, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan O

Theatre made for the 1st and 2nd LG? the only theatre they went between 1920 and 1928 to was the Old Vic...

I think they were styled the "1st and 2nd Life Guards" from 1922-28? And knowing their resistance to change, and the lack of images of credible badges, I'm starting to think that there may not have been any widespread use of the 1 & 2 badge? Perhaps the squadrons wore the original 1st or 2nd LG badges until the simple and mutually agreeable "Life Guards" came off the press, for universal Regimental wear?

Having been a collector of Household Division badges for many decades, I've still yet to see one I'd be happy to acquire?

Andy

Frank Kelley · #10 01-11-19, 08:41 AM

That is certainly true!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan O

Theatre made for the 1st and 2nd LG? the only theatre they went between 1920 and 1928 to was the Old Vic...

Luke H · #11 01-11-19, 06:56 PM

Cheers very much Phil.
Cheers,
Luke

Frank Kelley · #12 18-12-19, 02:29 PM

I have yet to see a good clear portrait of one of these cap badges actually being worn.

magpie · #13 18-12-19, 08:28 PM

Probably rarer than the badge itself.

High Wood · #14 19-12-19, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

That is certainly true!

It is a little known fact that during the economic slump after the Great War that London theatre going decreased dramatically and that theatres had to turn to unorthodox means of generating income. The Old Vic turned to producing regimental insignia for the many officers who attended their productions, capitalising on their regimental connections.

Production was carried out in a small metal workshop on the Blackfriars Road just around the corner, well several corners actually, from the Old Vic situated on The Cut, just a stones throw from Waterloo Station.

All their badges were maker's marked, Old Vic. London. If you find any marked Old Vic. L'dn or Old Vic London, (note the absence of the full stop), they are fakes and should be avoided.

Sadly, during the London Blitz on 12th November 1941, the Old Vic's workshop was hit by a stick of incendiary bombs, (see After the Battle's The Blitz, Then and Now), and therefore no records of production numbers, order books or any of their extensive pattern books survive.

The 12th November 1941 was also the date that John Gielgud first gave one of his memorable performances in the Blackout but that is an entirely different story.

Merry Christmas,

Simon.

Frank Kelley · #15 21-12-19, 06:11 PM

So unlike the badge in the original post then?

Quote:

Originally Posted by High Wood

It is a little known fact that during the economic slump after the Great War that London theatre going decreased dramatically and that theatres had to turn to unorthodox means of generating income. The Old Vic turned to producing regimental insignia for the many officers who attended their productions, capitalising on their regimental connections.

Production was carried out in a small metal workshop on the Blackfriars Road just around the corner, well several corners actually, from the Old Vic situated on The Cut, just a stones throw from Waterloo Station.

All their badges were maker's marked, Old Vic. London. If you find any marked Old Vic. L'dn or Old Vic London, (note the absence of the full stop), they are fakes and should be avoided.

Sadly, during the London Blitz on 12th November 1941, the Old Vic's workshop was hit by a stick of incendiary bombs, (see After the Battle's The Blitz, Then and Now), and therefore no records of production numbers, order books or any of their extensive pattern books survive.

The 12th November 1941 was also the date that John Gielgud first gave one of his memorable performances in the Blackout but that is an entirely different story.

Merry Christmas,

Simon.