Royal Corps of Signals Silvered Busby Badge

[Chris Walker]

Dear Friends.

I would appreciate some help from Forum members regarding the validity of a Silver Gilt covered Royal Corps of Signals Busby Badge. (Illustrations below).

I was recently sent the photos below as a Signals Badge collector by someone seeking help as to the validity of this badge.

I must admit I had to advise the chap who had asked me that I had never seen a Silver Gilt covered Busby Badge in all the time I had been collecting Signals Badges. And indeed I wondered why someone would want to put Silver Gilt onto what looked to be a very good Busby Badge.

So my questions are. Have I missed somewhere that Dress Regulations had changed at some time and this badge was a genuine item?

That was until I took a slightly closer look at the badge.

A quite genuine St Edwards Crown that had had silver gilt put on the front of it. However the reverse still looks to be brass or what ever metal it may be.

Although most of the badge including the plume holder at the back of the badge has been gilded, the inside of the "Bell" still seems to be the original gold colour. Also when you look at the badge on its side there is a distinct edge to the silver and gold of the "Bell"

Again why would someone want to do that to what looks like a good badge.

If there is any member of the Forum who could come up with a reasonable answer I would be delighted to hear and the reason as to why. I had even thought of a cadet band perhaps but that is not really a starter is it.

Some while ago there was somebody selling off batches of four at a time St Edwards Crowns Signals Busby Badges on a well known auction site. My thought was that of putting one together from the scraps of badges to make a good one, but again I think not.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Looking forward to your answers with great anticipation.

With my kind regards
Best wishes
Chris Walker

[leigh kitchen]

I have one of the silver coloured badges (acquired from the hoard you mention I would think).
It's a shiny silver now as the gilt on the obverse is worn off.
I'd be surprised if the gilt was worn off by normal wear - such a thorough job has been done I would think its been polished off.
I suspect the one you show images of is such a badge.

[leigh kitchen]

The badge I have, "new metal", as far as I can see the obverse of the ball is silver coloured due to the gold finish being completely cleaned off, the crown is still gold in the recesses, the reverse of the badge is still gold.
Perhaps the badges were deliberately polished as a result of wear to the gold finish, resulting intentionally or not in the gold being completely removed.

[Chris Walker]

Morning Leigh.

Very many thanks for showing your badge. Delighted to see it.

Is the whole of the reverse including the plume holder still gold?

The one I have been asked about shows the plume holder as being silvered.

If you badge has been cleaned Leigh. Someone has done an exceptionally excellent job in doing so making it look even all over.

When did you obtain the badge Leigh. Was it very long ago?

Hope we get some more results.

Thanks again for showing us your badge.

Best wishes

Chris

[leigh kitchen]

Yes, the whole of the back of the badge including slider and plume holder still has its gilt finish.

Picked it up in June 2021 from "Drop Zone" on ebay, they had a lot of the badges in similar condition, you paid your money and you got whatever badge they pulled out of the lucky dip.

My assumption was that they'd bought a batch of badges that had been discarded by the army or a Cadet unit because their finishes were so worn.

[Chris Walker]

Dear Leigh.

Thanks for the swift reply.

I will pass on your purchase information to the chap who asked me the question.

So far it is a mystery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers
Chris