Worth a punt?

[Charliedog012012]

Or saying cheap but the Gaunt mark to the rear is unclear. Not often we see this badge popping up though.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125069070...kAAOSwKpJhxvR9

[mike_vee]

Has it been coated/painted with something ?

Not one I'd be interested in.

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[cbuehler]

Looks to be chrome plated or something.

CB

[Frank Kelley]

Both Wylie and Gaunt examples can often be found nickel plated and some do have a finer jeweller type hinge to their reverse.

Originally Posted by mike_vee

Has it been coated/painted with something ?

Not one I'd be interested in.

.

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

Both Wylie and Gaunt examples can often be found nickel plated and some do have a finer jeweller type hinge to their reverse.

This confuses me

Standard brass badges are produced by both Gaunt and Wylie , they are made with the same 'basic' pin fitting and stamped with an "issue" number .

At some point the 'finer jeweller type hinge' and plating are applied or did the manufacturers make individually numbered 'special' badges ?

Or is it possible that the original hinge was damaged and replaced before the badge was 'plated' ????

NB. The badge in the original post now appears as "This listing has ended" , no mention of it being sold. The seller had a basic brass Wylie version with a price tag of £22.99 that they sold for a "best offer" earlier this month.

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[Frank Kelley]

I think, based upon the numbers extant, these badges were deliberately manufactured, they are certainly not repaired.
A precedent had already been set with the plated 1915 badges, I would assume to distinguish between a worker and a chargehand/manageress, so you end up with a badge of office/rank and a way to recognise a particular individual without initially knowing her name.

Originally Posted by mike_vee

This confuses me

Standard brass badges are produced by both Gaunt and Wylie , they are made with the same 'basic' pin fitting and stamped with an "issue" number .

At some point the 'finer jeweller type hinge' and plating are applied or did the manufacturers make individually numbered 'special' badges ?

Or is it possible that the original hinge was damaged and replaced before the badge was 'plated' ????

NB. The badge in the original post now appears as "This listing has ended" , no mention of it being sold. The seller had a basic brass Wylie version with a price tag of £22.99 that they sold for a "best offer" earlier this month.

.

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

I think, based upon the numbers extant, these badges were deliberately manufactured, they are certainly not repaired.
A precedent had already been set with the plated 1915 badges, I would assume to distinguish between a worker and a chargehand/manageress, so you end up with a badge of office/rank and a way to recognise a particular individual without initially knowing her name.

I have seen the 'finer jeweller type hinge' on other badges but have personally not seen it on other OWS 1916 badges , was it used by both Gaunt and Wylie ?

Sally Bosley's site has a Gaunt '1916 Munition Workers nickel plated trianglular badge' which has the basic pin fitting.

Regarding the "precedent" with the plated 1915 badges , I can find no information that these were specifically made/issued to identify the chargehand/manageress. Both “On War Service” Badges, 1914-19 The Official Issues by Ton Tulloch-Marshall and the later "British “On War Service” Badges 1914-1919" by Tony James make no mention at all about there being a different/special plated badge.

While there have been suggestions/theories there was also the idea that the letters on the 1915 badges were indicative of occupations (which they weren't) , as Tony James notes at the end of his article :

So, nearly a hundred years on, there are still questions to be asked and research to be done.

PS. Is the plated badge you "snapped up" made by Gaunt or Wylie and can you post a photo ?


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[dumdum]

Originally Posted by mike_vee

Has it been coated/painted with something ?

Not one I'd be interested in.

.

Hi Mike

Wonder if that mark you have so keenly picked up on (U C? L C?) isn't the initials of the owner, much as I have an unplated example with an initial and surname stamped thereon.

[dumdum]

Here is the named badge. Ernest Shackleton's sister?

[mike_vee]

I'm not convinced that the "chrome" finish is original/period and the fact that the badge hasn't been snapped up would indicate that others may also have doubts.

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[Charliedog012012]

Cannot say that I am too keen on the maker mark to the reverse. Poor photos…..I would have expected real interest if it was any good.

[Frank Kelley]

I think the photography is certainly very unclear, you could ask the seller to send you better images.

Originally Posted by Charliedog012012

Or saying cheap but the Gaunt mark to the rear is unclear. Not often we see this badge popping up though.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125069070...kAAOSwKpJhxvR9