1902-13 RIR CAP BADGE

[Faugh-A-Ballagh]

I picked this one up from one of the more reputable dealers on ebay this week. Haven't seen one from this vintage before close up. I know they were blackened pre-ww1, but when this practise stopped, I'm not too sure. To me it looks pretty good. What's the general opinion

John

[Alan O]

John.

I was led to believe that the 1901-13 ones were blackened brass rather than blackened w/m. The shape of slider being bent back on itself is a new one on me as well for the RIR. You do get it on badges prone to breaking such as the Loyal regt. Is this how it was made or did the wearer bend it that way? Certainly a nice old one and much better quality than some of the later WW2 ones.

I should add that it has been said that the 2nd Bn continued to wear the blackened brass ones beyond 1913 but I don't have documentary proof of this. A RIR specialist might be able to confirm it.

Alan

[jeanpit-frenchy]

hi john .

my RIR is WM behind the rest of blackned too and the slider is exactly the same as yours . it come from my grand father collection who received them during WW1 by soldiers..

for me is good (but a wasn't a expert). the blackned is very delicate on this badge ..

below my exemple

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by Faugh-A-Ballagh

I picked this one up from one of the more reputable dealers on ebay this week. Haven't seen one from this vintage before close up. I know they were blackened pre-ww1, but when this practise stopped, I'm not too sure. To me it looks pretty good. What's the general opinion

John

John,

I saw that one for sale too, IMO it's fine and an earlyish one as the scroll ends adjoining to the harp are longer (like the pre'08 blacked ones) as opposed to those found to the ww2 issue FN varieties. The slider being bent back on itself (like a Loyal North Lancs) is fine I have two with such a slider (one being very thin and the other a lot like yours) IMO it comes from a certain manufacturer/manufacturers and is not uncommon amoug RIR badges and a good pointer to look for when after a genuine one.

As for being blacked I don't belive yours is/was if you look at the inside face of the slider which you can see between the harp and start of the harp strings the slider is clearly brass, it would have been nearly impossible to polish there and as sliders were attached before badges were blackened this would resultingly be blacked if this was the case. I think the colour of you badge is just down to the way it has aged/been treated.

RIR badges were not blackened after they changed to WM in 1913.

Jeanpit your badge just has some good old tarnished much in the recesses which goes back giving the badge a lovely contrast but it was never blackened Was it from your grandfathers collection? If it was it could be a shout for the badges with the doubled over sliders being some of the earliest WM ones.

Cheers,

Luke

[jeanpit-frenchy]

Originally Posted by Paddy McGinty

John,

RIR badges were not blackened after they changed to WM in 1913.

Jeanpit your badge just has some good old tarnished much in the recesses which goes back giving the badge a lovely contrast but it was never blackened Was it from your grandfathers collection? If it was it could be a shout for the badges with the doubled over sliders being some of the earliest WM ones.

Cheers,

Luke

yes the badge is from my grand father collection, i hope that is genuine WW1 !!! if it was not a genuine, it was a great disappointment for me

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by jeanpit-frenchy

yes the badge is from my grand father collection, i hope that is genuine WW1 !!! if it was not a genuine, it was a great disappointment for me

Jeanpit it is very much a genuine badge (and a nice one at that, I'd love to have it my collection) I do hope I didn't get you worried there mon amie!

I think there's a good chance that the badges with the doubled over sliders are early WM examples of the badge. Or at least there were manufacturing them from an early date

Cheers,

Luke

[jeanpit-frenchy]

....ouf, i was afraid

[orasot]

N'ayez pas peur Jeanpit, la mienne est exactement la même que la vôtre.
Wilf.

[Wayne Ihaka]

I have this badge - it is blackened brass

I understand this is from the pre 1914 period

Can an expert give me an opinion - just picking up RIR badges as I find them for family history purposes.

[2747andy]

Wayne,
this is almost certainly a restrike made only a few years ago and nowhere near the period it is supposed to date from.

Andy

[Wayne Ihaka]

are there anything particular to look for in these badges?

I see quite a few on e bay but never quite sure what is real or not

[John Mulcahy]

Originally Posted by Wayne Ihaka

are there anything particular to look for in these badges?

I see quite a few on e bay but never quite sure what is real or not

Wayne

the consensus among collectors is that the scroll ends should be pierced (voided). This blackened brass version was sealed in 1903 and its replacement (same design but white metal) was sealed in 1913.

John

[2747andy]

Originally Posted by John Mulcahy

Wayne

the consensus among collectors is that the scroll ends should be pierced (voided). This blackened brass version was sealed in 1903 and its replacement (same design but white metal) was sealed in 1913.

John

Wayne,
as pointed out by John, the scroll ends are a good indicator (but not always).. also hairpin sliders (those folded at right angles to produce a larger surface area at the point of fitting) rather than the standard "L" shape are a good sign!

Andy

[DJT]

Hello,

I was just wondering if this one was genuine. I think it is but just wanted to check with those more knowledgeable. Many thanks!

[2747andy]

Des,
I'd say yes and a later version (possibly by F.N.)!

Andy