Can anyone date this Silver NMR Title and a aluminium Title

[Anthony03]

Greetings all.
1. These are items I will be disposing of and they dont appear in Owens book. Does anyone have a clue as to the date? It weighs 5 grams and tests out at Sterling Silver. Obviously made of sheet silver and the lugs are not ones that I have seen.15 mm x 37mm.
2. Any idea on the small aluminium one ? 11mm x 39mm.
Any help would really be appreciated.
Alf

[Frank Kelley]

Number two is WW2, not sure about number one.

Originally Posted by Anthony03

Greetings all.
1. These are items I will be disposing of and they dont appear in Owens book. Does anyone have a clue as to the date? It weighs 5 grams and tests out at Sterling Silver. Obviously made of sheet silver and the lugs are not ones that I have seen.15 mm x 37mm.
2. Any idea on the small aluminium one ? 11mm x 39mm.
Any help would really be appreciated.
Alf

[Frank Kelley]

I suspect number one is similar, I honestly don't think it is very likely to be much older, NMR in all it's forms was worn for such a long time.

[Anthony03]

Wonder which title was worn in 1888 then - Could it have been this silver one issued to Officers?

[Anthony03]

Another pic with the standard white metal NMR and with the Sterling silver above.

[Frank Kelley]

Officers of the Natal Militia and Volunteers bought all they wore from a very small number of suppliers in Great Britain at that point in the nineteenth century, the title you show in not British made in my opinion, the rectangular wire lug, suggests to me that it is campaign made.

[Frank Kelley]

An old friend.

[Anthony03]

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

Officers of the Natal Militia and Volunteers bought all they wore from a very small number of suppliers in Great Britain at that point in the nineteenth century, the title you show in not British made in my opinion, the rectangular wire lug, suggests to me that it is campaign made.

Hi Frank - The lugs are also of sterling silver. Interestingly enough many of the early silver shoulder titles were also made in South Africa -I had a Silver Whittlesea Mounted Rifles Shoulder Title that was made by a jeweller in Grahamstown in the early 1880's so the manufacture was not restricted to the United Kingdom.

[Brian Conyngham]

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

An old friend.

Anthony and Frank

I also have an aluminium set the same as this, definately believe they were made on campaign. Only seen four such sets in 40 odd years which makes them scarce. At one time I believed them to have been made in a POW camp, Frank was your chap a POW?

Brian

[Frank Kelley]

No, indeed not, but generally speaking, prior to the Anglo Boer War, all their kit was made for and retailed by Messrs Hobson, here in Great Britain.
If you are asking if I thought it to be Anglo Boer War campaign made by Wade's in Pietermaritzburg or List Brothers in their Durban workshop, my answer would have to be no.
My own thought is that it is rather later.

Originally Posted by Anthony03

Hi Frank - The lugs are also of sterling silver. Interestingly enough many of the early silver shoulder titles were also made in South Africa -I had a Silver Whittlesea Mounted Rifles Shoulder Title that was made by a jeweller in Grahamstown in the early 1880's so the manufacture was not restricted to the United Kingdom.

[Frank Kelley]

No, I believe they are Italian, although, if earlier, they could only have been made in North Africa, notwithstanding, very clearly issued and worn by the South African Armoured Brigade.

Originally Posted by Brian Conyngham

Anthony and Frank

I also have an aluminium set the same as this, definately believe they were made on campaign. Only seen four such sets in 40 odd years which makes them scarce. At one time I believed them to have been made in a POW camp, Frank was your chap a POW?

Brian

[Anthony03]

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

An old friend.

Great to have the shoulder board and flash as well - These are items that very seldom come up for sale.Thanks for sharing -Alf

[Brian Conyngham]

Thanks Frank

Glad to have cleared up that one, yes quite possibly Italian, they are very well made, all appear to be the same.

Brian

[Frank Kelley]

Hello Brian,
Did Father Christmas bring you anything nice this year?
Happy new year to you and yours,
Regards Frank

[Brian Conyngham]

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

Hello Brian,
Did Father Christmas bring you anything nice this year?
Happy new year to you and yours,
Regards Frank

Frank

Hi and a belated Seasons Greetings...time has not been my friend this year, just do not have enough of it to be honest. Hobby taking a very second place sadly.

Yes, I have picked up a few items some rather modern but need to be added to the artillery section of my collection, sort of fine tuning on some 1970/80's stuff that before they disappear, it's best to add them sooner than later. When I get a gap will post them here, not sure you will appreciate them

Also a few medal groups but not for here.

Regards
Brian