Gurhka Buttons

[Vix Steel]

Anyone seen this type of button before? era?

There was a huge lot of buttons at the flea market, so many interesting ones to pic from. Mostly US buttons but I did pic these from the totes.

[Mike Jackson]

Possibly neither British-Indian Army nor British Army nor even Indian Army Gurkhas, but Gurkha troops serving in Jaipur State Forces (Indian States Forces). The "sun" is the emblem of Jaipur symbolising the Solar Dynasty.

Vix Steel.
Your button is very likely to be from Nepal, possibly of local manufacture.
Having studied and illustrated many Indian Princely States' army and police buttons back in the late 90s, this particular button was never included with the Indian buttons.
The 'crescent is part of the symbol on the upper pennon of the Nepalese flag, while 'sun radiant' is featured on the lower one. The crossed kukris are also part of the country’s heraldry.
Attached is an English made version of the button, its use unknown. There are other versions with just the sun and kukris.
Rgds,
button_guru
-------------------------
Buttons aren't just a hobby!

[Lampwick]

Attached is an English made version of the button, its use unknown. There are other versions with just the sun and kukris.Greetings Guru. Can we see a pic of the reverse of your badge please?

[Vix Steel]

There was some 66 Punjab buttons too that were interesting. Sadly I dont think I will be running into the seller again...

Whats the button CAR? American?

Lampwick, that's not a badge. It's a button!
But I've scanned the back for you. It's made by Gaunt London.
Since you're interested, I asked their owner for a scan and here are those mentioned earlier. Their backs are either plain or with Harman & Co Calcutta. The mounted are 'spun backs'.
b_g

[Lampwick]

Lampwick, that's not a badge. It's a button!

What a waste of time forum...........!

[Milmed]

Originally Posted by Vix Steel

There was some 66 Punjab buttons too that were interesting. Sadly I dont think I will be running into the seller again...

Whats the button CAR? American?

Hi,
The CAR is in fact GAR (Grand or Great Army of the Republic) and yes it is American.

Steven

[peter monahan]

'What a waste of time forum...........! '

B_G

Sorry you feel that way! It sounds as if you have some expertise to contribute to the [fairly obscure] field of Indian/Gurkha buttons, badges and insignia. Lampwick is, from other posts I've read, also an expert in his own field, so his attempt at humour - clearly not funny to you - is not his sole contribution to this forum. I hope you'll choose to keep dropping in to this forum and adding comments when your area of expertise comes up.

Cordially,
Peter

[Lampwick]

My last post was merely an attempt to show my embarrassment at making a simple typing error. I didn't think it warranted the "you looking at my pint?" response.
Peter. Thank you for your kind words but I would never put myself in the expert camp. Most of my posts have been questions and my collecting ethos is "Oooh, that's shiny, I want it". BTW it just came back to me that we'd met before on the GMI forum with me as Toolkit.

Pete,
Yes, I didn't like the smiles. The last time I made an oversite of copy and paste, I was reported to the Administrator!
I hate to tint your ego but just ask Capt Ashok Nath, Howard Ripley, Rene' Chartrand, Col Neville Poulson, Col. Bob Wyatt, and unfortunately the late Major Alan Harfield, Norman Litchfield, WY Carman, John Gaylor and all the others that I've had the honour to personally meet, have been close friends with and/or conducted research together. The books in which I was a partner or in which I was a major contributor and over thirty years of articles in The Bulletin, Button Lines, PICA and other international publications. Or it's maybe that I'm a former colonial and faded old beliefs have still lingered with some? But I hate bragging unless cornered. If you don't know who button_guru is, then I tell you - Denis A. Darmanin and a proud Maltese who never considers himself an expert!

[peter monahan]

Lampwick and Denis

Looks as if the inherent problem - does not show tone of voice - has struck again! I hope your two posts have sorted things out with no permanently hurt feelings.

Lampwick - been there, done that! "Type once, read twice, then hit 'Send."

Guru - back in BC [Before Children], when I had time and money to collect badges, the Indian Army was my true love. I have written to Captain Nath and certainly know of the other distinguished names you mention: many giants in the field there! You're a lucky man to have known them all.

My only contribution to this field has been to co-found the Indian Military Collectors Society in the early 1980s, pre-Internet, when finding kindred spirits to exchasnge info. with was itself half the challenge. I gave up the Society for personal reasons after a few years but am proud to say that it still exists as the Indian Military History Society and that I am once again a member, albeit non-contributing these days. Thanks for explaining!

Sincerely,
Peter