White metal badges with black finish.

[wardog]

I'm sure I've seen a thread or threads in the past that relate to some early black (bronzed?) finish badges turning out to be on WM and not the usual GM. My interest is Great War period- and I think this may relate to some London Regiment badges. Can anyone provide links- or can this thread be used to list/show badges that look to be white metal badges with a black finish? Regards, Paul.

[Phil2M]

I have a 5th Battalion (London Rifles) Cadets, cap badge in blackened w/m.

[wardog]

Thanks Phil- I'm sure I must have read about such badges on the forum but couldn't find a thread with search. Sure there are other examples. I have a 17th London which might be WM but hard to tell as I repainted the front many years ago-so just going on a couple of highlights-back still perfectly black original finish. Lets hope some others can add more info. Regards, Paul.

[Luke H]

I have a 16th London that is blackened WM. I’ll try dig it out and post a photo.
Cheers,
Luke

[Nozzer]

I have a 9th London.

[Sonofacqms]

Without casting any aspersions as to the originality of these white metal London badges that are blackened, all seem to have been copied in the past, call them restruck or whatever.

Laurie Archer said in his notes on fakes that badges struck in the wrong metals were the nightmare of collectors lives and I do wonder whether these badges were made in white metal to sell as a "variety" when they should have been made in gilding metal and then blackened, could it be collectors got wise to these, so the fakers blackened them, completely disguising the fact that they were fakes?

The 17th London (Stepney and Poplar Rifles) was made in white metal and gilding metal which was blackened, so I think this could be original.

Just my take on London badges and I have collected them for a few years . . !

Rob

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by Sonofacqms

Laurie Archer said in his notes on fakes that badges struck in the wrong metals were the nightmare of collectors lives and I do wonder whether these badges were made in white metal to sell as a "variety" when they should have been made in gilding metal and then blackened, could it be collectors got wise to these, so the fakers blackened them, completely disguising the fact that they were fakes?

Rob,

I remember reading those notes, believe this is what you’re referring to https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...1&d=1349614814 the so-called Morrison restrikes. I’ve no doubt my 16th London is fine, it shows signs or wear and has a period slider. The couple of Morrison re-strikes I’ve seen have a very harsh tapering slider which Laurie describes in his 1980 note.

Re the 16th and 17th London K&K does say they were struck in WM.

Cheers,

Luke

P.S. I’ve attached a KC RIR that I believe to be a Morrison restrike.

[wardog]

There is a 19th Londons with a similar sort of slider -though is it not sometimes thought to be an unmarked FN slider? Regards, Paul.

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by Nozzer

I have a 9th London.

Hi Nozzer, any chance of posting a pic please? Don’t believe I’ve seen one before.
Cheers,
Luke

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by wardog

There is a 19th Londons with a similar sort of slider -though is it not sometimes thought to be an unmarked FN slider? Regards, Paul.

Hi Paul,

I knows what you mean, I’ve a couple FN badges myself but felt the slider on this RIR was harsher tapering and more angular. Here’s another pic.

Cheers,

Luke

[Phil2M]

Oh yes, I have a 16th London too.

[Sonofacqms]

Luke, I have never seen an RUR/RIR badge such as this one, this badge seems asymetrical, the scroll is not level, far too the left, it may be a variation, but not one I've seen.

Rob

[Luke H]

It’s from the same die as the genuine and very rare KC badge which was worn briefly on the FSC from 1902 - the middle badge in the opening post in this thread https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...t=Irish+rifles .

I do have a genuine BB badge in my collection but it’s buried in a tin somewhere so I can’t show it right now. However they are definitely from the same die so I assume that Mr Morrison inherited it.

To complicate the issue and without straying too far off topic this badge may also have been worn post WW2 on the beret. I do have a badge I believe is original to this period however the slider is significantly different to the ‘Morrison slider’ Laurie mentions and seen on the badge I showed in post #7.

Luke

[wardog]

P1060221.jpg P1060220.jpg
I should never have painted this badge... Rear of the badge is how it was when I bought it.
On looking at the pictures, I notice that the lions between the cross 'arms' are very poor. Think I may be looking for another badge. Regards, Paul.

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by wardog

Attachment 192342 Attachment 192343
I should never have painted this badge... Rear of the badge is how it was when I bought it.
On looking at the pictures, I notice that the lions between the cross 'arms' are very poor. Think I may be looking for another badge. Regards, Paul.

Here’s mine for comparison Paul,
Cheers,
Luke