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#1
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Shooting grand prix crossed rifles badge help?
Hello, I am trying to identify this badge. I think it's a sleeve proficiency badge?
As it has crossed percussion rifles I think it might date to 1890's? Also it says "Shooting Grand Prix" in French so this might be Canadian? The badge looks very British in style to me? But thought I would post and see what your thoughts were? One of the barrel tips is broken off. This was found in a shop next to the Mississippi river here in USA. I have ground dug buttons from war of 1812 from the banks of the Mississippi river. I live near Dubuque Iowa and this area was fur trapping grounds settled by Julien Dubuque 1780's a Canadian. I don't think this is that old? But old stuff turns up here. I collect WWI-WWII and found no information on this badge other that what's on the net. I don't think its very common or I would have found one. Please any thoughts would be great. I am not selling it. I just want to know what it is. Or at least tell me it's not British? Thank you. Todd Last edited by GUMBYTODDNET; 17-03-23 at 06:44 PM. Reason: better description |
#2
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Just checking back on this post. Crickets chirping! No luck I see? Thanks again!
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#3
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Nice looking find
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#4
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100% not British
regards
__________________
Simon Butterworth Manchester Regiment Collector Rank, Prize & Trade Badges British & Commonwealth Artillery Badges |
#5
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That's what I needed to know. Thank you very much! Back to research.
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#6
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A very interesting item, apparently a foreign equivalent of the post-1860 Rifle Vols musketry prize sleeve badges worn by UK and Colonal regiments when at last they had an accurate rifle (the 1853 Enfield) so that an individual soldier could actually hit a target. Training a soldier at a rifle range and
encouraging civilian rifle clubs was quite a change from the volley firing at Waterloo. These skill at arms badges have evolved to the present day into some remarkable varieties. A while ago on Ebay there was a similar badge, undoubtly Britsh crossed Sniders, the closest I have ever come to seeing one. IMHO the back of the foreign badge appears to be to be a low quality later addition. The rifle looks French or more likely Belgian, a breech loader with a back action lock and a breechblock that opened forward like a Springfield, an Austrian Wenzl or (more likely) a Belgian Albini. This would put it around 1870 to 1885. |
#7
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Thank you Kingsley. Great info! I am leaning Belgian now.
I attend the Show of Shows in Kentucky every February. It is one of the biggest shows here in the States. If I have no luck by then. It will go there with me next year. |
#8
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I have one in my collection.
I have it classed as a French badge. |
#9
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David, allowing for artistic license, the rifles represented on your badge look to me like 1889 model Belgian Mausers, which makes it a successor to the Belgian Albini skill at arms badge. With the magazine, they can't be French Chassepots, Gras or Lebel rifles and don't look much like the later French Berthier either. In a European collection somewhere there may well be earlier or later variations as well but these are the first examples I have ever seen.
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