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Title Cap badge
Nationality Thai
Period c 1890-1910
Price £75.00

This is clearly a European made badge (8cm tip of spear to bottom); in view of the provenance (see below), almost certainly by Gaunt's of London. The crossed rifles would appear to represent a pair of Martini-Henrys, so it's no surprise that, if they were buying Martinis from the British, their military badges were being made in London as well.

It is possible that this is a Cambodian badge. Presumably, either way, the crossed rifles signify that it is an infantry badge.

There are three lugs on the reverse and it is a die-struck piece from gilding metal. Its condition is excellent except that the point of the spear at the top of the badge has been distorted with age, though not broken.

Prov: from the J.R. Gaunt & Son Ltd. Pattern Book Archive, sold at auction by order of the National Army Museum, London.

If you want to comment on this item—re quality, age, etc—please email me.


[Militaria : Badges : Thai : 19th Century]

testimonials

The day the blunderbuss arrives I could not stop looking and feeling the gun for at least one hour. My wife told me that I was sick........ I am very happy, it is a piece of craftsmanship! Well made! I have 5 blunderbusses but all iron barrel, also from England but this one is gorgeous with the Brass Barrel.

Please keep me informed when you have any other type of blunderbuss. Thanks my friend!

M R, USA, 04.08.2011

Excellent information, Chris, you've been making a big effort! I will spell it out more closely (I'm a historian!) and don't think Bezdek can add much more.

A C, Belgium, 26.06.2005

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