King's Royal Rifle Corps - Check your honours!

[2747andy]

Gentlemen,
K&K is regarded as the badge collectors bible, but has its flaws as we all know! I nearly sold a scarce KRRC today thinking it was just another King's Crown variation, alas my keen eyes spotted a variation to the honours on the lower arm of the cross! Low and behold, I have now filled a gap in my Infantry collection, the scarce KK 674 (I think).. K&K describes KK 675 "as 674 but larger".. The images are very dark and the detail on the badges cannot be made out! Forget the sizes, check the honours, the QVC badge (KK 673) has the Honours in the same configuration as the smaller KC pattern (KK 674). The main thing to spot is "TEL-EL-KEBIR" is the lowest honour on the lower arm of 673 & 674, whereas the Larger 675 has "RELIEF OF LADYSMITH". Some of the other honours appears in a slightly different place however these two are the easiest to spot!

For those with time to measure badges, they are from tip of crown to lower point of cross:

673 - 44mm
674 - 50mm
675 - 55mm

[Jim Maclean]

I've been looking for one of these for ages.

The badge without the Boer War honours wasn't around for a long time.

Seems easier to find the QVC small version.

Then of course there's King's and Kings variations

[Keith Blakeman]

Originally Posted by 2747andy

Gentlemen,
K&K is regarded as the badge collectors bible, but has its flaws as we all know! I nearly sold a scarce KRRC today thinking it was just another King's Crown variation, alas my keen eyes spotted a variation to the honours on the lower arm of the cross! Low and behold, I have now filled a gap in my Infantry collection, the scarce KK 674 (I think).. K&K describes KK 675 "as 674 but larger".. The images are very dark and the detail on the badges cannot be made out! Forget the sizes, check the honours, the QVC badge (KK 673) has the Honours in the same configuration as the smaller KC pattern (KK 674). The main thing to spot is "TEL-EL-KEBIR" is the lowest honour on the lower arm of 673 & 674, whereas the Larger 675 has "RELIEF OF LADYSMITH". Some of the other honours appears in a slightly different place however these two are the easiest to spot!

For those with time to measure badges, they are from tip of crown to lower point of cross:

673 - 44mm
674 - 50mm
675 - 55mm

Andy, what may surprise you more is it's worth about £130. No doubt it would have been snapped up by a dealer if you had have listed it.

I was lucky enough to get one for a tenner in a shop which had three badges for the same price but the owner didn't notice one was different. I was tempted to tell him he was taking the pi55 charging that price for a KRRC badge but didn't want to just in case it came to his attention! At that time I was just about to buy one for the full price from a dealer as like Jim I hadn't seen one for ages.

[tonyb]

From the sounds of it, another Holy Grail, checked mine and guess what ...
yep keep searching.
Tony.

[Alex Rice]

Hi All
Here's another one, if anyone can offer any suggestions as to the maker I'd be very appreciative. It looks like a casting of sorts but is made with blades as per an OSD badge, but I have no idea what the metal is. It isn't the usual yellow brass as per sand-cast badges and looks more like white metal (possibly blackened Indian silver??) It has had some wear so I'm sure it was used. The front also looks like it was originally nicely detailed and not rough like a typical sand-cast badge.
Like Andy's badge, it has the Tel-il-Kebir honour at the bottom.
Any help appreciated, thanks in advance. Cheers,
Alex

[spreadeagle]

Originally Posted by Keith Blakeman

Andy, what may surprise you more is it's worth about £130. No doubt it would have been snapped up by a dealer if you had have listed it.

I was lucky enough to get one for a tenner in a shop which had three badges for the same price but the owner didn't notice one was different. I was tempted to tell him he was taking the pi55 charging that price for a KRRC badge but didn't want to just in case it came to his attention! At that time I was just about to buy one for the full price from a dealer as like Jim I hadn't seen one for ages.

Keith /Andy,
After seeing this thread yesterday I had a check through some of my KRRC badges,I knew I had one variant which was smaller than the rest,but had never noticed the Tel El Kebir honour at the bottom.
Here's my one,and i'm pretty sure it's an original,as one of the first badges I was was ever given.

[2747andy]

Looks OK to me!

Andy

[Keith Blakeman]

Originally Posted by 2747andy

Looks OK to me!

Andy

Me too, lovely badge.

[Charlie585]

Hi gents,

Since reading this thread I have had my eyes open for the Tel-El-Kebir badge.

I think I may have struck lucky with this one so opinions welcome.

It measures 45mm from tip of crown to bottom of cross and was originaly lugged.

could this be a FSC badge?

Regards

Ry

[Keith Blakeman]

Ry,

You are one jammy fourcar. That badge is at the top of every KRRC collectors' wants list including mine. Extremely rare and very expensive.

Well done

[Charlie585]

Only a little gloat then

[davec2]

Definitely a BIG gloat me thinks, you need it repairing

Special rate for you Ry.

Dave.

[Alex Rice]

Hi All
I don't want to put a 'damper' on the badge posted by spreadeagle, but this badge was obviously used for a very short period at the turn of the century. Why would it be slidered then? The slider looks a bit shorted than the usual pagri slider, could it be a repro or do you think it's a pagri badge?
Cheers,
Alex

[Keith Blakeman]

Originally Posted by Alex Rice

Hi All
I don't want to put a 'damper' on the badge posted by spreadeagle, but this badge was obviously used for a very short period at the turn of the century. Why would it be slidered then? The slider looks a bit shorted than the usual pagri slider, could it be a repro or do you think it's a pagri badge?
Cheers,
Alex

The shank is the same length as most of the VB badges I have from the same period. It could well have been worn in the foreign service helmet with the small badge worn in the field service cap. The Rifle Brigade wore contemporary small and large in this way also.

[talavera48]

Originally Posted by Alex Rice

Hi All
I don't want to put a 'damper' on the badge posted by spreadeagle, but this badge was obviously used for a very short period at the turn of the century. Why would it be slidered then? The slider looks a bit shorted than the usual pagri slider, could it be a repro or do you think it's a pagri badge?
Cheers,
Alex

I have had these badges (the larger one with Tel El Kebir) on both lugs and sliders. I've only ever had one small pattern - with lugs like Ryan's. Nice badges.