5th Royal Irish Lancers cap badge

[Watchdog]

Good afternoon gents,

I am much more a reader than a poster here mainly because there are only so many hours in a day rather than me not being inclined.

I have collected British military cap badges since the early '70s but for most of that time my attention has been focussed on the infantry regiments.

As I have begun to add the cavalry regiments over the last few years I have long been a little uncertain of the various badges on the market from The 5th Royal Irish Lancers.

I may be looking in the wrong places but I have searched here unti my eyes hurt and I can't find a single thread concerning the badges of this unit and only a couple that refer to it in another context.

So, I am hoping that there is the wisdom here that can give me chapter and verse on the badges of this fine old regiment.

I have for some years held an example in my collection which I regard as a "gap filler" repro because whilst it has apparent age, applied white metal lower halfs of the guidons, applied white metal '5' and a tool mark on the slider it has a flat back which I have always believed is not correct in a genuine badge.

Looking over several sources and dealers lists I have seen wide variation in physical characteristics and price (low double figures to low three figures). I have even seen a very new looking item purporting to be an officers badge all in white metal, very flat back and a very modern looking "STERLING SILVER" stamp for the same price as a the most common WWI brass economy badges. OK, that's an extreme example but you get the idea.

Apologies for the poor pictures but the light is dreadful here at the moment.

I would hope to gain some knowledge from other members here and to complie a visual reference as to real versus fake across the variations (including officers badges) to help anyone else with the same question.

Edited November 14, 2020 by Watchdog

[QSAMIKE]

This badge looks OK to me.....   Suggest that you find (possibly on ebay) a copy of Kipling and King, both volumes you will find it there.....  There is also:

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/

I have one that looks very similar so if yours is a dud then mine is as well.

I have a number of Canadian badges marked sterling and sterling silver which I understand were made by a man who used to sell on ebay under the name Badgeman and is now in goal for fraud......

Mike

[Watchdog]

Thanks Mike I appreciate the input. I bought my copy of K&K close to 30 years ago and it is a great publication but as you know it does not show the reverse of the badges nor does it cover much of the small details that make the difference between original and fake. As I say, I do like the overall appearance of my badge I just can't seem to pin down the differences in construction from say Victorian to WWI to WWII and post war that are very telling when it comes to authentication.

 

 

Thanks again

 

Regards

 

Mark

[Rebekah Thomson]

Well I found this the other day..in my grandfather's old things... .I know it's original as they come.. so it may help to compare with? 

[Farkas]

On 08/10/2023 at 00:26, Rebekah Thomson said:

Well I found this the other day..in my grandfather's old things... .I know it's original as they come.. so it may help to compare with? 

Very kind of you to help Rebekah but unfortunately there isn’t a picture for us to see, if you see this reply and still feel inclined I’d enjoy seeing your grandfathers badge…

 

cheers

tony 🍻