An Australian Gem

[yellow]

I was searching through the riker cases and in amoungst all the common british badges I found this:



The die used for this specific sphinx is unrecorded in the books. It is a rash assumption to say it belonged to an officer however the quality is there.

I actually feel a little ashamed to own it as it really should go back to Australia to be put in a museum.

Steve.

[spooner]

Nice Piece of Trench? ( Fantasy ) Art . I will buy it just for the Curiousity Value Cheers Rick

[Jack]

unofficial

Hello Yellow,
the hat badge is an unofficial WW1 type.I have seen one other like that but the Sphinx head was much larger than that one.Can you show the back of badge please.
Cheers Jack(Rob)

[Adrian Stevenson]

Thanks for showing this unusual badge. I have never seen anything like it before. Very odd; were they made for Aussie troops in the Middle East/North Africa?


Cheers, Ade.

[leigh kitchen]

I'd suggest that may be Aussie army Intelligence - the sphinx was used as such a symbol circa WWI by various nations. The only item that I've actually got that supports that is a French Int or Liaison units Christmas card sent to British colleagues. The symbol on the front of the card is similar to this metal badge, a full face sphinx.
Then again it could just be a badge adopted by a particular unit based in Egypt, or produced for the military tourist.

[yellow]

It is as Jack stated.....an unofficial unit badge manufactured in Egypt for the 4th Field Ambulance during WW1. The basic design matches this description.

This badge is of two part construction having the crown cut away from an orignal badge.

These unofficial unit badges are highly desirable to Australian collectors as only hand fulls were manufactured. This particular variation is not recorded in any of the Australian badge collecting books and the largest museum in the country do not hold an example of any variation (Australian Memorial). Hence my guilt for owning it. They have everything else, including the Red Barons flying boots!

A friend of mine had another unofficial Light Horse Unit badge. He traded it with a fellow collector for £850 pounds worth of Scottish Basket Hilt sword. Australian WW1 collectors take their WW1 material seriously!

Steve.

[Brodie]

WOW
nerver saw that one

is it for sale?

[nellyp51]

Awsome mate..