Help with identification

[AdrianM]

Hi all. The attached photos show some items given to me as a child by a kindly neighbour during the 1960s. Amazingly, they've survived me growing up, having a family, house moves, etc, and now I'm trying to ID them. From Googling I think I have a King's Own Light Infantry (South Yorkshire Regiment) helmet plate (officers?) from 1881 - 1897 (?), eight (tunic?) buttons marked Hobson and Sons, Little Windmill Street, London (1878 -1886?) and two smaller (epaulette?) buttons, all similarly KOLI (SYksR). I'd like to display them, rather than putting them back in a box for another 50 years so any guidance on this would be welcome. Thanks.

[Farkas]

Hi Adrian

Kindly indeed. i love it!

i'm often corrected but in my opinion you have what you think you have....

An Officers, Victorian, Service helmet plate. The currently black scroll is silver I believe... the backing in the centre is cloth with a textured 'felt' feel? If so all points to it being untouched  original to me. Buttons by Dobson are less common than other makers and,to me, are of the right period to belong with your plate.

personally I'd be tempted to pull the 3 outer pins out of the back and clean it but others will think that sinful....

nice one,

tony

[pjac]

I agree withTony on the ID. I have mounted helmet plates and buttons on card with black or red velvet type fabric stretched over the card and glued at the back ,then fitted into a frame. Small holes punched through for the loops and matchsticks or similar through the loops to secure the pieces. 

Cleaning is a personal decision. If you do clean, the white metal rose within the bugle horn device and the scrolls can be done with a metal polish, or Worcestershire sauce, if you want something non- abrasive. You may need to wipe the cloth, once you've cleaned the metal of the device. Do not try to remove the bugle horn device or the small scroll from the cloth at any point as  it's almost certain that one or more of the bent retaining wires will break. If, as it seems from the photos,there is still gilt on the bugle horn and the rest of the plate then on no account use a metal polish to clean as it will remove the gilt. Warm soapy water and a soft brush is all I would use, although some people use diluted ammonia or lemon juice. Buttons can be done with a metal polish like Brasso.

A nice set- congratulations on hanging on to the pieces.

Patrick

Edited September 30, 2017 by pjac

[AdrianM]

Wow - rapid response there - thanks guys. Yes Tony, the cloth centre of the plate feels like felt/velvet and appears black, though in a bright light it may once have been dark blue or dark green. I'd go for dark green but that might just be my eyes. And thanks for the mounting advice Patrick - time to get some card, fabric and glue. Inclined not to clean it all as I like the aged appearance.

[Jerry B]

A lovely badge, and something I ever got into, but that is a stunner.

[Dave Wilkinson]

What a nice badge. Congratulations on caring for it so well over the years. Well done! I hope you keep it and remember fondly the kind gent who gave it to you all those years ago.

Dave.