King's Royal rifles

[Trubia26]

Hello and happy new year! I was wondering if you be able to study this badge...I know the pictures are not very well, but I don't have better images...what do you think about this all blackened badge? Thanks!

[Luke H]

A restrike sadly.

My belief is the originals of these Gaunt made solid centre and crown KRRC’s are on long sliders.

If you’re just seeking a standard badge then it’s much safer to target one with a voided crown and centre.

[Vialli]

I may be corrected but the crown and the centre around the bugle should be voided. Hope this helps.

Dave.

[Trubia26]

Fortunately it is not mine!...by the way...I don't know what is a "voided crown" in fact I read here several times the term "voided" and I don't know what characteristic is on badges...Can you explain me please?

[mike_vee]

Definition :
Voided - having a section or area that has been cut out or omitted.

See this example of the badge from IWM site :

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30070625

.

[grey_green_acorn]

Could be a Birmingham Mint example: https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...hp?albumid=767

Tim

[Trubia26]

Thanks Mike! Now it's clear to me!
...about the "Birmingham" model...it was a conmemorarive model, right Tim?

[Alan O]

The solid versions are inevitably fakes.

Alan

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Trubia26

Thanks Mike! Now it's clear to me!
...about the "Birmingham" model...it was a conmemorarive model, right Tim?

The link to Tim's album gives the following explanation :

"The Birmingham Mint purchased J R Gaunt in 1973 and shortly afterwards they manufactured and marketed a set of 52 Line Infantry Regiment cap badges with commemorative hallmarked silver medallions."

.

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by Alan O

The solid versions are inevitably fakes.

Alan

I would disagree.

As mentioned before this badge is illustrated in Wilkinson book ‘British Army Badges 1820-1960’.

To date no badge shown in 1st edition Wilkinson’s book has been shown to be fake or reproduction.

The book was published in 1969 so doubtless the photos were taken before this and the collection assembled potentially long before. Many of the badges in the book are WW1 vintage.

I highly doubt in a whole book containing many scarcer badges that the author or owner of the collection would’ve fallen down at one of the most common infantry badges ever. Notwithstanding it would also be an odd place for the reproers to start.

As I’ve mentioned I own a badge on a long slider with an 11mm Gaunt mark. Additionally Jelly Terry also has an identical badge (also long slider w/ 11mm Gaunt mark) which shows clear signs of wear. I don’t doubt either are genuine.

Clearly the die is a Gaunt one which survived to be reused by both B’ham Mint and fakers latterly, hence why I said restrike.

[Alan O]

OK lets put it this way. Every solid one I have seen on ebay or dealers website has been a fake or the Bham Mint Medal set so I would not recommend chasing down this variant.