Fake Imperial Service Tablets

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by dumdum

Hi

Still keen to know of anyone has seen any period Imperial Service tablets with additions such as the two I posted pics of. Logic says that if I've got a couple, there must be more out there.

If you look at pics of troops entraining you can easily see the tablets against the dark cloth. I've got an informal postcard of a Scot wearing his tablet on his uniform. If there is interest, I'll post it!

Dumdum,

I, for one, would be very interested to see your photo. Is the ISB depicted 'personalised' as described in post #13 above, and as in your post here?

As for the existence of the silver, hallmarked ISB alleged to have been sold by your antique dealer, my view is that it was either a privately made item, or a bit of a yarn. ISBs were intended from the outset to be low-cost, and were made from German silver.

ISBs were of course sometimes worn as sweethearts. I wonder if badges worn as such were perhaps occasionally customised in the way you show above, in order to align them more closely with the serving man's unit?

Regards,

JT

[Frank Kelley]

I don't think the Imperial Service Brooches in that link are in any way spurious, but, I would have thought they certainly would not be worn in uniform like that by any TF soldier and I would suggest that the dealer who sold an original HM Silver example is a line shooter.

Originally Posted by Jelly Terror

Dumdum,

I, for one, would be very interested to see your photo. Is the ISB depicted 'personalised' as described in post #13 above, and as in your post here?

As for the existence of the silver, hallmarked ISB alleged to have been sold by your antique dealer, my view is that it was either a privately made item, or a bit of a yarn. ISBs were intended from the outset to be low-cost, and were made from German silver.

ISBs were of course sometimes worn as sweethearts. I wonder if badges worn as such were perhaps occasionally customised in the way you show above, in order to align them more closely with the serving man's unit?

Regards,

JT

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

I don't think the Imperial Service Brooches in that link are in any way spurious, but, I would have thought they certainly would not be worn in uniform like that by any TF soldier and I would suggest that the dealer who sold an original HM Silver example is a line shooter.

Frank,

I agree, though I'd love to see such an image if it were the case.

[dumdum]

Hi JT

Yes, rather suspect that the antique dealer was either deluded or mistaken. Point being that if they had made them in H/M silver, you'd think that at least one or two more would have bobbed to the surface by now.
Yes, those are the pics of my Imp Service tablets and you may well be right about the subsequent "sweetheart" use of them.
I'll see if I can dig out the p/c of the Scottie!

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by dumdum

Hi JT

Yes, rather suspect that the antique dealer was either deluded or mistaken. Point being that if they had made them in H/M silver, you'd think that at least one or two more would have bobbed to the surface by now.
Yes, those are the pics of my Imp Service tablets and you may well be right about the subsequent "sweetheart" use of them.
I'll see if I can dig out the p/c of the Scottie!

An example of the ISB being worn as a sweetheart:

JT ISB SH.jpg

JT

[dumdum]

Hi JT

Planning to dig out that photo of the Scot this weekend!

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by dumdum

Hi JT

Yes, rather suspect that the antique dealer was either deluded or mistaken. Point being that if they had made them in H/M silver, you'd think that at least one or two more would have bobbed to the surface by now.
Yes, those are the pics of my Imp Service tablets and you may well be right about the subsequent "sweetheart" use of them.
I'll see if I can dig out the p/c of the Scottie!

Completely agree.

Originally Posted by dumdum

Hi JT

Planning to dig out that photo of the Scot this weekend!

Thank you. I look forward to seeing your picture.

Regards,

JT

[dumdum]

Hi JT

Been thinking about the posts on these "doubtful" ISBs. A local dealer has some that he says surfaced in India along with some ARP badges that have a look of being cast. There were also some WW2 King's badges looking as if they were from the same source.

A UK contact once contacted a company in India wanting some "I" prefix Silver War Badges for his collection. They answered that they didn't have any but could make them for him if he wanted them to......