Badges for consideration?

[Sonofacqms]

In the past I have put badges up for members inspection before offering them in the classified section which I have always thought was a good idea, I am not a dealer, but a collector of some 65+years.

However, nobody IMO knows the lot about British and Colonial insignia and opinions vary, further research can change opinions and many items fall into a "grey area".

Some badges are definite fakes and I think most members will agree that pointing out signs of known fakes on the forum is a great thing for prospective buyers, however, I think unless badges can be pointed out with good reasoning as being wrong, we as collectors should keep an open mind and not dismiss them as fakes.

Rob

[Holyboy]

Totally agree, you’re always at school.

[cbuehler]

I also try to keep an open mind on some of this, but once a particular badge is condemned, it is difficult to surmount. I have kept a few which I feel may yet have a chance, even though thought to be bad on this forum.
I often wonder just how some of them came about to be regarded as bad.
With regard to "colonial" badges, I can only refer to British Indian badges, which I collect as well. Very little definite information is available on these and one must often go on gut feelings with regard to originality.

CB

[Home Guard]

I agree as well.

I also have to admit that it was recently recommend to me to get an opinion before listing an item for sale. For what ever reason, I that that might be considered poor taste, but now know it's preferred and will definitely heed that advice.

Terry

[Luke H]

I would suggest selling ‘grey area’ badges on here is bad practice.

Dealers no doubt do this moving on badges which are ‘maybe ok’ to their minds and get pummelled on here for it when someone in the forum knows something they don’t about their badge and it’s not right.

Personally I only sell badges on here that I’d happily have in my collection and are 100% original. Selling iffy or grey area stuff in my opinion shouldn’t be done here.

I take your point about the known fakes but how does anyone actually ‘know’ they are fakes. None of us were there when the die was cut. Rather it’s an extremely high likelihood a certain die is fake but no one has evidence for it that would stand up at court. Rather you see a lot of modern badges that exhibit a certain trait, it may or may not appear in a repro catalogue or be sold by know repro sellers... strong circumstantial evidence but not proof in the truest sense of the word.

There are always badges which fall into grey areas, which the answer is I don’t know. In these situations I either don’t comment or say I don’t know. In my opinion these are always worth keeping and worthy of further research. Completely agree it is best to approach all situations with an open mind.

I’ve decided to take a leaf out of P.B.’s book and no longer comment on authenticity of others items.

[mm1]

Hi Luke,

please don't be too hasty with your decision not to comment on badges. I for one, count on your expertise and knowldege and you have saved me on numerous occasions from either making a bad purchase or assisting me in deciding to return recent purchases. It is a minefield out there with a lot of bad items and your knowledge is vital in weeding those out from the hobby.

Mark