Over the top ??

[Peter Brydon]

Picked the attached Kings badge up at a dealers in Manchester yesterday. Supposedly an example of the unoffical cap badge ( no apostrophe in title, continuous twists on scroll etc)

The badge is well made but the tale does not quite reach the scroll which it should do and to the rear is a slider maked JR GAUNT LONDON and as well attached to rear of the horses head one of those little JR GAUNT LONDON plaques.

Talk about the absolute opposite of an economy item ,maker marking an other ranks cap badge twice.Is it supposed to make perspective purchasers think it is twice as genuine ?

Anybody else come across anything similar on other badges recently ?

P.B.

[Bill A]

Hi P.B., It seems that the presence of maker marks is somehow proof of authenticity. So double genuine it is. (sarcasm...sorry)
The string on the Essex Regt Tank badge in the Canadian section, spurred me to look at a particular vendor's other Canadian offerings. Low and behold, a Lord Strathcona's Horse king's crown cap badge, one of the most common WW2 era Canadian badges has appeared with a JR Gaunt plate. The kc badges (1920 - 1950) were almost entirely made by Scully Montreal, and seldom maker marked. Here some repro artist has concluded that the existence of a maker mark adds authenticity, but in reality, for knowledgeable collectors it should be a red warning flag.

[Alan O]

The badge appears genuine to me and even has the flaw in the scroll as seen on all of the other 1st bn ones even those sold by Bosleys. I have a slidered version with the Gaunt name on it and I have seen lugged ones with the plaque. An interesting variation to have both. It is almost as if it was being made and the plaque added and then the workman realised that the order was now with sliders rather than lugs.

Alan

[kingsman]

8thFoot
This badges matches in all respects to an example I have, except one, of the unoffocial badge worn by the 1st Bn 'til replaced by the '26 pattern.
Only difference is mine was originaly lugged N&S now fitted with a broach pin fastening, a photo has been posted previously on the forum.

Tom B.

[69th]

Ive got quite alarmed about this makers mark as most of the badge's I have do not have a makers mark on them, although I have 2, 3rd The Kings Own Hussars and The Queens (WW2 with out the wording) with the Gaunt with a dot on the slider, when I work out how to make a thumbnail() I will post my Welch badges, my pride and joys lol.

[2747andy]

Pictures are not too good, however I would tend to go with the Genuine verdict!

KLR will know for sure?

Andy

[NorthStafford]

Is it possible that a repair has been done by taking a slider from one badge and fitting it to a badge that already had the plate fitted. Stranger things have happened.

[KLR]

Peter, I know it might sound obvious but have you looked "under" the slider to see if there is the scar of a removed loop ?? I have one with ex loop scars and a "tablet" but the slider is plain. Otherwise I have never doubted the wording on the slider of this badge. Incidentally, the tails on this type don't always touch the torse ! Alan is right about the flaw, it appears on quite a few scrolls - with different dies on the horses. Numismatists use "die linkage" a lot to look at manufacturing sequence.
It looks perfectly genuine to me and should date from 1908-1926 (though I agree they might have given up naming them during the war).