Buyer Beware - 3rd NF Pipers Brooch

[Ashantee]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3rd-Volun...torefresh=true

This is highly suspect. A number of copies were made from an original about 20 years ago by a dealer in the Blyth area, including "cast" hallmarks. The lion hallmark to the front of the 3 in 3rd was particularly badly cast on earlier versions and interestingly this has now been polished out (note a small smooth area, as it was a dead giveaway). Note also the attempt at the naming on the rear, polished out to make it hard to read. The other copies had this also.

Regards
Ashantee

[Ashantee]

If you have a copy of Denis Wood's wonderful book "The Fifth Fusiliers and its Badges" Edn 2 look at the badge on page 145 and you can clearly see where a lion hallmark has been stamped into the original just before the 3 in 3rd. This has been removed on this copy as it clearly appeared as "cast".