Do Gaunt Plaques help date Cdn Badges?

[whizzbang]

Just wondering if the rectangular J.R. Gaunt plates confirm the date of Canadian badges to WWI ? A number of CEF pattern badges were in use into the 20's and beyond - but would a Gaunt plate definitively date the badge to WW1? I would assume that there was no need to make badges in the UK after the war when soldiers were back in Canada...
Ian.

[Adam H]

I can only comment on a couple of minor points. From memory, the only badge(s) I own that have the little rectangular Gaunt plates pre-date WWI.

Obviously Gaunt manufactured CEF badges en masse...

I do know that some Canadian regiments had badges made by Gaunt post WWI, and indeed into the WWII and post war period. I can't say for sure when they stopped using the plates. I think this is the real question at hand: During what period did Gaunt use these plates on the reverse of badges they produced.

[Alan O]

From the UK badges I have seen it appears that the Gaunt plates were on pre WW1 TF badges (these were privately ordered by the TF and not provided through service sources until late 1915), RND badges (1916-18) and some officer badges. You do not see them on any British badge that I have seen from WW2.

Alan

[guest_000]

The gaunt plates do not appear on Canadian badges after 1919 . Just one badge I am unsure of is the CAF badge made in 1920 my have been a last run though

PAUL

[Doug N]

I have a couple of post WW1 Canadian badges which do have Gaunt plates. There must be more, but my collection only touches on a thin strata of militia era badges. The ones I can confirm are New Brunswick Dragoons (authorized 1926) & Manitoba Mounted Rifles (authorized 1922)

There is another clue on Gaunt badges which can help the Canadian collector. Shortly after WW1, it appears the Canadian government enacted rules which required importers to show country of origin on their products. (note that although Gaunt had a presence in Montreal, all their product was manufactured in England) I have not been very diligent at researching this legislation, but badge evidence suggests it took effect somewhere around 1920 / 21.

Early badges will be marked JR GAUNT / MONTREAL; later badges will be marked JR GAUNT / MONTREAL / MADE IN ENGLAND. This change can be noted on badges with brass plates, as well as those where the text is struck directly onto the reverse. In the former case, sometimes two brass plates are found, one with the firm & city; a second with the Made in England. I have a number of militia collars which have the country of origin plate only, with no maker plate.

There are some badge designs which were in use both during & after WW1. An example is the 17 Duke of York’s which I have as an avatar. This pattern spanned 1899 – 1923. I have an officers & an OR’s badge which are marked with the ‘Made in England’ text. This suggests that they were produced very late in lifespan of this pattern, as opposed to being earlier strikes.

It’s interesting (though probably not significant) that the country of origin thing seemed to fade out pretty quickly. Gaunt labeling became pretty hit & miss, & most of their badges from the 30’s onwards have no markings whatsoever.

[Phillip Herring]

Ref Gaunt plates. In the batch of Belleville copies of Canadian badges that were made en mass a few years back, there were some where the Gaunt plates were reproduced in the casting process. One that sticks in my mind was Manitoba Mounted Rifles, but there may have been others.

[guest_000]

there where also the type 3 MG badges made which seem to be flooding the market as genuine .