Unit Badges

[Guest RTAYLOR]

I am trying to put together a tribute to my grandfather. I want to mount his medals (which include the British War and Victory Medals) along with a photo of a RGA Battery in action, his war diary and his unit insignia (195 Siege Battery, RGA, WWI).

Is there a way to find a unit badge or replica?

[Graham Stewart]

RTaylor,

In your case all you need is a couple of R.G.A. brass shoulder titles and a brass/gilding metal Royal Artillery cap badge with a Kings Crown. They are still quite common and can be picked up from a reputable militaria dealer or militaria fair. If you don't wish to go down that route you could always try Ebay, but please beware that a lot of reproduction badges are sold on that site, infact it's estimated that about 96% of the badges sold on that site are rubbish.

Graham.

[Rob B]

Graham that is a scary statistic how on earth can genuine badges be sold without that sort of doubt cast over them?

Rob

[Guest RTAYLOR]

Thanks for the info gents. There is a pretty good outfit here in town i may try then. Appreciate your time.

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

........you could always try Ebay, but please beware that a lot of reproduction badges are sold on that site, infact it's estimated that about 96% of the badges sold on that site are rubbish.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

By whom? that is a very blase' condemnation of many sellers badges,very true that care has to be excercised in selecting one's bids if seeking genuine Cap Badges{& not just on e bay~many dealers stocks are contaminated by restrikes from the 1970s,being sold as the McCoy}but many good & original badges are to be found there~on,I know I've bought some!...........A lot will depend on wether a Collection of original Badges is being formed;or a display mounted for esthetic/illustrative purposes only{& obviously cheaper} & the basic premise of any Collecting thematic.............Knowing your subject!!! Knowledge IS power.

[Graham Stewart]

Rob B,

I've been a collector/researcher for the best part of forty years and those of us whose collections go back that far will tell you the same. We're seeing badges on Ebay which weren't around even then, never mind about the number of times they crop up on Ebay. Recently there has been quite a few first pattern Tyneside Scottish badges and Tyneside Irish badges with a slider of all things. My Tyneside Irish was found in an OXO tin full of badges from my WWI relatives, my first pattern T.S. I didnt get until around 1981. You just didn't see them.

What was an irritation, which was easy to spot in the 1970's became big business in the 1990's as the quality got better. The best part of the badges you see come from people who seem to hold large stocks of stuff we would have killed for thirty/forty years ago, now they're two-a-penny.

Graham.

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

I've been a collector/researcher for the best part of forty years and those of us whose collections go back that far will tell you the same. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Best part of 46:: Man & Boy!

[CROONAERT]

By whom? that is a very blase' condemnation of many sellers badges,very true that care has to be excercised in selecting one's bids if seeking genuine Cap Badges{& not just on e bay~many dealers stocks are contaminated by restrikes from the 1970s,being sold as the McCoy}but many good & original badges are to be found there~on,I know I've bought some

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. I haven't bought a great deal of badges from eBay, but of the 10 or 11 that I have, only 2 have turned out to be dodgy in some way (and one was advertised as a re-strike anyway!).

You've got to know a bit about them though to avoid getting stung, but this also rings true elsewhere than eBay too.

Dave.