RCR Gilt and Frosted badge

[Young Law]

Gentlemen of the forum,

I picked up this badge recently and some aspects of it have me dumbfounded. It's a gorgeous badge with the obverse in gilt and frosted star. The finish, to me, would indicate an Officer's quality badge; however according to the Regimental Standing Orders that I've read the cypher has always been silver for Officers.

The crown and construction date the badge sometime between 1926-1950's, and is marked Scully. What is interesting are the two screw-post fasteners on the reverse. They are too short for a forage cap band and I would be somewhat surprised if it had been made for a puggaree. Additionally I see no trace of lugs ever having been present unless the solder on the screw-posts is covering it, and if so it was done with great care.

Michael O'Leary hypothesized that it may perhaps have been a Pipes and Drums badge and affixed to the garter belt for wear on the glengarry or that it may be a musician pouch badge. Although both of these theories are plausible, the finish and attention to detail leaves me wondering.

Has anyone ever come across an RCR badge with similar posts and finish for the era?

(The pictures do not do the badge justice or demonstrate the finish in all of its glory, it is therefore shown next to a Guelphic crowned badge for comparison)

[Bill A]

Lovely badge Richard. (Young Law??? maybe lawless??? renegade collector????)
Doing some thinking about this, I tend to lean along the theory that the badge was for a band. Screw posts are not usual, and I can't remember seeing such on any RCR badges.

[David Tremain]

Richard, good to see you at the show on Saturday.

I can't help with the badge, only to say that it has a Queen's Crown, which makes it c.1953-ish at the earliest, unless the RCR had that crown earlier for whatever reason.

David

[regimentalrogue]

The RCR had that style of crown from the late 1920s. The particular version of the crown on Richard's badge (with it's wider base), however, dates it from the 1960s or later.

Badges of The Royal Canadian Regiment:

Imperial Crown Badges; 1926 - 1950s
http://regimentalrogue.com/rcrbadges...own_26-50s.htm

Imperial Crown Badges; 1960s - 1980s
http://regimentalrogue.com/rcrbadges...wn_60s-80s.htm

[ddaydodger]

I have a theory, and it is just that, coming from a former member of the other English speaking regiment. The jeweler at Ledra Palace in Cyprus used to make high quality badges in silver and gold for the ORs of the regiment. They looked similar to yours but it’s hard to say without a side by side comparison. They were the same size as the issue or kit shop badges and were screw post to attach to the beret ( sliders were too easily lost and the badges were not cheap, a relative term for Cyprus). Some RSM accepted this, some didn’t. Or troops would leave them on their best beret for Remembrance Day or other special events. Or use them as a presentation, sweetheart type badge, rarely, but sometimes. As I said a theory at best.

[Young Law]

Michael, compared to my other badges it is definitely the narrow based crown. The attachment of the central piece, with two short tangs through the star are also typical of the earlier badges as shown on your excellent site.
---

The Cyprus anecdote is interesting, were the badges made from scratch or modified badges? This one is marked Scully.
---

David, it was good to see you as well!

[ddaydodger]

If it is Scully marked then it is probably not Cypriot. All the badges I saw were scratch made and unmarked.

[Young Law]

Does anyone have a picture of the reverse of the Pipe/Drum Majors plaid broche? Following the possibility of it being band related I wonder if the attachment is horizontal on those rather than vertical like the annulus on the Glengarry badges.