Cavalry Army Cap badges - how to spot the fakes

When buying Cavalry badges the following are give aways as fakes: KDG - The 1898 to 1915 pattern - a very common copy but the fakes come with 2 lugs on the scroll (rather than at chest level or on a slider) and a protruding chest with poor rear defintion where as the genuine ones have a flat chest and good rear detail on the back of the shield.

The 1915-37 Star pattern - the originals had sliders and obvious brazing holes behind the brass circlet centre where as the copies have a solid back.

1st Royal Dragoons - The post WW2 Eagle version. Often the copies are missing the birds claws! 2 Dragoons Queens Bays - Look for a horozontial brass strenghtening bar across the bottom of the crown. Some copies also lack the holes at the end of the wreath where it joins the crown. The originals and the better copies have 3 voids.

3 Dragoon Guards - Should have a brazing hole behind the crown. The pre 1908 pattern usually has 3 lugs and not a slider although I have been shown one that appeared to have a cut down slider but had the correct feathers and brasing holes so looked ok. There are obvious copies with sliders and fat short feathers. There are also some lugged copies with no braising hole and a spurious 3rd PWO DG title and the wrong feathers

3rd DG Carbineers - Post 1922 badge with crossed rifles. The copies do not have the brazing holes on the back nor are the sliders pierced at the bottom where as the originals have a hole through them to secure them. The copies are widespread as they are sold by the biggest seller of fakes on ebay.

3rd Hussars - The originals have a very shallow angled scroll where as the copies have a deep scroll; this can only be seen clearly when comparing the 2 types. The vast majority of these badges on ebay are the fakes unfortunately. The post 1922 version should be solid backed to the scroll. 4 Royal Irish DG - Look for brazing holes on the back of the title scroll - the copies are very good but solid backed.

5 Royal Irish Lancers - Should be die struck where as the common copies have flat solid backs.

5 DG - Pre 1922 pattern the central w/m circlet should be visible from the reverse ie inserted in to the badge and not overlaid. The copies of the post 1922 the numeral 'V' with a crown above pattern are identical to the originals and the only way of making certain of originality is by the fact that the firmin made ones are marked as such and the ir sliders are slightly longer extending below the bottom of the badge.

6 Inniskilling Dragoons - All 4 castle windows should be voided where as the copies. Also the back of the scroll should have brazing holes and not be solid.

7th Dragoon Guards - The w/m lion badge should have 3 lugs but I have seen one with a slider. The copies have a void under the lion with the scroll under that gap where as the originals I have seen lack this gap. The post 1906 brass one has been widely copied but the copy has a very skinny lion compared to the original.

8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars - Common copy especially with Q/C. 9th Lancers - The originals often had 2 brass rods behind the Lances - the copies are very good but lack these.

10th Hussars - There are a lot of copies with the wrong style feathers - either narrow feathers (similiar to the later Royal Hussars)or very fat dumpy ones that are also seen on many other copies particularly yeomanry.

12 Lancers - the copies are flat backed, lack the brazing hole and the crown is very square and blocky compared to the original. Widely copied in both K/C and Q/C. The sliders on the copies end at the bottom of the badge whereas the originals tend to be longer than the badge.

14 Hussars - Common copy of the Cartwheel badge has 2 lugs rather than the correct slider. The fales detail is not quite right and it is a very 'flat' badge.

16 Lancers - Originals were die struck where as copies are flat backed. Q/C ones have also been reproed with solid backs.

18 Hussars - Look for a hairpin slider as the sign of a good one. Not a common copy.

19 Hussars - The Daneborg cross post 1908 badge - should have a hairpin slider to strengthen the badge's neck of the A. The copies have a normal slider and the crown is noticeably thinner and wider compared to a genuine one. If you think that any of the Elephant patterns sold on ebay are original then you are delusional!

21 Lancers - The common copies are all brass with a solid centre and flat backed - should be voided and die struck. The fakes have a solid centre and a die flaw on the RH pennant where it connects to the pole.

22 Dragoons badge with a solid numeral bar. The originals had the XXII fretted with a void under the dragoons title as well. The copies are solid although there are some newer fakes with voided numerals but the give away is they are lugged where as the originals had sliders. All brass or cast are also fakes as they should be die struck white metal. The original trial pattern was in brass but was never issued.

23 Lancers - Once again excellent copies but lack the brazing hole behind the elephants head and are flat backed. 24 Lancers - 2 makers (Firmin and Gaunt) with 2 slightly different patterns. The Gaunt pattern are being widely faked but generally have lugs where as the originals had sliders.

26 Hussars - widely faked. The originals are either die struck with 2 strengthening pieces at the top of the 'H' and 3 brasing holes on the scroll OR solid backed with 8 brasing holes. the fakes are solid backed with no holes.

Tank Corps - The brass originals come in 2 types with one having more voids than the other. They both had sliders - lugged ones and white metal ones are fakes.

Avoid Croft