303man Posted 28 July , 2012 Share Posted 28 July , 2012 I have collected memorial plaques now for some 35 Years and in that time have found the following varieties of Specimen Memorial Plaques. SPECIMEN ADMIRALTY MCMXIX, SPECIMEN INDIA OFFICE MCMXIX, SPECIMEN COLONIAL OFFICE MCMXIX, WAR OFFICE PATTERN, SPECIMEN MCMXIX, SPECIMEN MCMXX, VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM SPECIMEN MCMXIX. Has anyone seen other varieties over the years? a picture would be nice. I am preparing a talk for my OMRS Branch and am trying to gather more info if it is out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 28 July , 2012 Share Posted 28 July , 2012 Didn't our friend in Bognor have one stamped 'property of HM Government'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303man Posted 29 July , 2012 Author Share Posted 29 July , 2012 Note: this is the only Specimen Plaque I have ever seen 1920 dated all others appear to be 1919 Examples. It has the plate number 12 outside the rear leg indicating it is a 1920 made Acton plaque. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 29 July , 2012 Share Posted 29 July , 2012 I presume these were made to check the quality of the casting material? If so, were they made in any great number? Very interesting items, regards Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303man Posted 29 July , 2012 Author Share Posted 29 July , 2012 They were I presume sent to each of the departments to show what the final production plaque would look like. The most common one I have seen is Admiralty MCMXIX (3 Examples). I expect they sent one to each command, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Chatham etc. The India Office one may be the only example made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 29 July , 2012 Share Posted 29 July , 2012 Great items, how many do you have? Examples I mean, not named plaques. Regards Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tipperary Posted 29 July , 2012 Share Posted 29 July , 2012 I had never heard of these samples very interesting. A thought that has just sprang to mind when i saw the words He Died were plaques issued for female nursing staff who died in their service.john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303man Posted 29 July , 2012 Author Share Posted 29 July , 2012 Yes the H in HE was narrowed and S put in front All female plaques seem to have been produced on Casting Mould No 11 (Number 11 appears between the lions rear leg and tail). Estimates vary as to the number of female plaques produced from 602 to just over 1000. Member Jim Strawbridge is the expert on female casualties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tipperary Posted 29 July , 2012 Share Posted 29 July , 2012 Thank you 303man another first for me.john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303man Posted 31 July , 2012 Author Share Posted 31 July , 2012 Admiralty Specimen 1919 there appear to be two varieties one with a larger gap between the D and M in Admiralty and one that appears to have standard letter spacing. (Standard Spacing) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303man Posted 31 July , 2012 Author Share Posted 31 July , 2012 Admiralty Specimen 1919 wider gap between the D and M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303man Posted 2 August , 2012 Author Share Posted 2 August , 2012 A collector friend has sent me a picture of the Colonial Office Specimen MCMXIX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbarchetta Posted 12 September , 2012 Share Posted 12 September , 2012 303man, Bought this today at an auction in Coventry - paid more than I anticipated, but having sat around all afternoon waiting for it to come up, I HAD to have it! Hope I wasn't bidding against any GWF peeps... Your War Office one, according to your first post, has different wording to this one... James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303man Posted 21 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 21 December , 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Strawbridge Posted 22 December , 2014 Share Posted 22 December , 2014 Yes the H in HE was narrowed and S put in front All female plaques seem to have been produced on Casting Mould No 11 (Number 11 appears between the lions rear leg and tail). Estimates vary as to the number of female plaques produced from 602 to just over 1000. Member Jim Strawbridge is the expert on female casualties. I have a "She died" memorial plaque which has no name on it. It is hard to tell if this was cast without a name (not an official specimen but to test the mould) or if the name has been removed (such a shame if so). I had thought about heating the plaque to see if a name reveals itself but as the memorial plaque is cast I am guessing that there would be no metal stresses to see. If I had a micrometer I could check the thickness where the name should be and compare the thickness elsewhere on the plaque and this would likely reveal if the name has been skimmed off. But I have no micrometer. Perhaps someone on the Forum might have another way that, if there was originally a name on it, that it can be revealed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303man Posted 22 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 22 December , 2014 The master mould had small magnets that held a thin metal plate with the deceased soldiers name stamped into it. I have seen blank plaques that have the small circle marks where the magnets were. yours may have been made with a blank plate on the magnets or as you suggest erased. The plaque thickness varies considerably the surface finish of the blank area may be the give away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eairicbloodaxe Posted 21 April , 2015 Share Posted 21 April , 2015 Another 1919 dated specimen one has just surfaced on a well known auction site. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-WW1-DEATH-PLAQUE-WITH-NO-NAME-SPECIMEN-MCMXIX-/261847420195?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cf7528d23 Can't see any back leg mould number or reverse foundry impression mark. I won't be bidding as it's already out of my league... Regards Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbarchetta Posted 21 April , 2015 Share Posted 21 April , 2015 "CANT BE MANY OF THESE ABOUT" Classic understatement! James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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