9th Gurkha Badge for 25p

[Jibba Jabba]

I bought a bag of staybright badges today at 25p each and this one was amoungst them. They were bought from a seller with no knowledge of militaria.

This badge may be genuine and I would like to see others like it if anyone has any badges to the 9th. Any way, have a look and post your opinions please. I really must say that it does look like eBay cast junk to me but I assume that this badge isnt very old and also the Gurkha experts here know what is bad.

[Unknownsoldier]

That has the looks of possibly being a theatre made item (i.e. a p/p piec3e bought at a bazaar). However it is difficult to say without handling, is it bendable (or hard?) and light???? (as opposed to having a bit of weight to it).

Tom

[Jibba Jabba]

Hi Tom, thanks for the reply.

The badge is heavy, doesnt bend and has very long lugs (13mm). There is a visable cast line on the edge. From Kukhri tip to Kukhri tip it measures 42mm.

I can see no traces of brass peeping through the white metal, I`m wondering if I should take a metal file to it just to prove to myself if its plated. I know the white metal bazaar badges which you are talking about, the lugs on those are a lot cruder. They are often seen on shields for sale in Nepal for the tourist market. You could be right if they are now doing these with proper lugs.

In amoungst the lot was a nice 1st Gurkha but that badge is a staybright and I have no problems with it. On the most part the badges that were part of the same batch were all Mercian Brigade so I am guessing that this badges dates from around the time when that badge came out?

[Unknownsoldier]

Hi,

I was thinking, a proper made-to-order bazaar piece, but I know of the bazaar pieces you mention (some are excellent, others are cack), however from the sounds of it, it is possibly a WW2 (or just after perhaps), private purchase piece, I have a few bits like this, I am confident are not fakes.

The fact it is isn't light and bendy, and that the lucks are nicely done says to me at least, it is a decent pp badge, however I'm sure others may know more than me and correct me if I'm wrong.

ATB,
Tom

[Jibba Jabba]

Hi Tom,

I hate threads like this because I feel sometimes I`m pushing people into saying what I want to hear. This badge could very well be complete rubbish which some squaddie who served with the Mercian's put into his collection. I just dont know with this one and for 25p it was worth the gamble.....has to be worth one pound to anyone here!

Ive got the feeling Gurkha badges are going to take off soon so I hope perhaps one day we may even see another like this badge on the forum.

[Mike]

Hi , I am sure it is an original and fairly recent 9th Gorkha Rifles badge in chromed cast brass, this is fairy typical of relatively modern Indian material.

(although not sure if these were made with or without the Indian lions symbol over? or as a separate piece?)

anyway, 9th GR went to India at the partition.

[wright241]

Originally Posted by Jibba Jabba

I bought a bag of staybright badges today at 25p each and this one was amoungst them. They were bought from a seller with no knowledge of militaria.

This badge may be genuine and I would like to see others like it if anyone has any badges to the 9th. Any way, have a look and post your opinions please. I really must say that it does look like eBay cast junk to me but I assume that this badge isnt very old and also the Gurkha experts here know what is bad.

I have one of these and will try and remember to take a pic this evening of the front and back - should be able to post tomorrow. David

[Mike]

here's an Indian 3rd Gorkha Rifles one, chromed cast brass:





and below some unknown Indian Gorkha badge (maybe staffordshire gurkha rifles !!!)

anyway chrome peeling off to reveal brass base metal.






The last one is too big to be a cap, possibly a belt or pouch or something
all rather nasty quality, but original I am sure, although having said that, because of this rough and ready quality if copies were produced you would not be able to tell the difference.

[Mike]

If anyone here is up to speed on post 1947 Indian material I would like to know what unit the last pic above is .

[Jibba Jabba]

Hi Mike,

I think my badge is nickel plated rather than chromium. The lugs on your 3rd look nearer to what I would expect, shame the type on my badge is exactly what a certain eBay faker is using at the moment on his badges.

I had a look through the bag and I couldnt find a set of indian tigers or anything else that went with this badge from the same material.

As for your Staffordshire badges its one I have seen on those shields from Nepal but if yours has proper lugs and not spikes then I guess it could be good but I dont know which unit wore it.

[Mike]

that last badge does have spikes so its off one of them kukri shields?? I have seen them but cannot remember the badges mounted on them. do you think its based on a real badge?

they are lions at the top not tigers


have you a link to the ebay ones, wonder why these are being copied? to try and pass as a pre 1947 item? thought they would have been better left brass.

[Mike]

I have just remembered were that last badge with the spikes came from - Marlows auctions "everything guaranteed original" ha ha , I did consider it junk and in the junk box it is, with any other chrome post 1947 indian stuff.

[Gurkha]

Hi JJ,
By the look of that 9th badge (what are the dimensions?) it appears to be a modern Indian Army shoulder title. The cap badge has the 3 lions of ashook in place of the crown, as do most modern IA badges.

I would like to see a picture of the AA 1st GR .

Mike ,
that last badge the Staffs, is a complete fantasy badge made for the tourist market. Originally they had a couple of cast pins so they could be knocked into a wooden shield holding a couple of dodgy kukris. But recently i have seen a couple with lugs affixed.

When my camera is charged tomorrow, I put a couple of pics of modern IA stuff on this posting.

Steve
Regards

[Mike]

thanks for that steve, I do recall the plaques JJ and yourself mention , having seen them on ebay.

Thing is the manufacture/production techniques of this era of indian material generally, is quite rough and ready so copying must be easy and not detectable?

[Mike]

Another question for you Steve, did the Indians introduce the lion thingy emblem onto their insignia immediately in 1947 or was it later?

mike