Prince of Wales Rangers rare plastic cap badge

[Tanker Mike]

Recently on ebay an extremely rare Prince of Wales Rangers cap badge was sold. In 30 years of collecting the first one I have ever seen, quite possibly the most rare plastic Canadian WW2 cap badge.

Maker marked J.R. Gaunt, I did not know they even made plastic cap badges.

Mike

[magpie]

Are you sure it's plastic as it looks like an OSD.
Andy.

[Bill A]

I am thinking the same. It looks like osd?
There were plastic badges made for the Canadian army in the SWW, but they were only trialed and only for a few corps. The CTTC, Canadian Parachute Corps and the other ranks Garrison Bn were made in plastic. There were samples made for the RCA and a couple other corps.

[Roy]

Maybe it's just my eyes but it does look plastic to me, especially on the back.

Anyone here buy it?

Roy.

[Phil2M]

Its definitely an OSD, can see braze where the blades are connected.

[Bill A]

The badge is a scarce badge as an osd anyways.

[Sonofacqms]

I don't think Gaunt made plastic badges during WWII, they were made by:-Plastic Fashions, London Assn. of the blind, Alfred Stanley & Sons Ltd and Jarrett, Rainsford & Laughton.

The badge shown as others have said is an OSD, the RH blade is green at the base due to oxidisation and the blades have points not rounded ends.

Rob

[Tanker Mike]

100% plastic

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/381066527784?...784%26_rdc%3D1

[Tanker Mike]

The colour is almost the same as the 1 CANPARA badge, the reverse has the same "filling" marks as well.

[badger123]

I know nothing about Canadian badges but that is not a plastic badge (nor Bakelite for that matter).

It is definitely a metal OSD badge which is clear from the picture of the rear.

Ivan

[magpie]

Sorry but that's an OSD not plastic the picture is much clearer and you can see the braze on the blades, I'd suggest that the seller thinks it's bakerlite because of the colour.

Andy

[Bill A]

Canadian plastic badges were made in Cananda, not overseas. The Prince of Wales Rangers were mobilized for active service but only served in Canada. As such, the badges for the unit would be made in Canada. Canada did not acquire any British made plastic badges.
The back of the POWR badge is not the same as the plastic Canadian Parachute or the Garrison Regt badges. They had a circle on the reverse from the casting method used to make them.

[ebro]

I don't know why it is described as Bakelite or plastic. It is an OSD badge.
Eddie

[btns]

The blades are indeed soldered on - to a small brass base plate.
This plate ends at the base of the feathers. Those are full plastic.
I think the back plate includes the scroll. It makes sense because it is quite thin.
This part of the base plate also fits the plate properly in the mold during casting, which is imporant during series production.
Bakelite is an option, because it does not melt during the soldering of the blades

[Alan O]

Its OSD bronze. Gaunts were not a maker of plastic badges.

For it to be plastic would make it truly unique.