RAPC Badges Gilding Metal & White Metal / Brass & Gilding Metal

[leigh kitchen]

The use of gilding metal & brass in the construction of British army badges has been discussed in other threads recently.
Usually I could'nt tell one from another, but in this case I can, as the badges are side by side & the reference is in Kipling & King.

Gilding metal with white metal scroll, the "normal" pattern cap (as opposed to later beret badge) size. K&K 2133.

Brass with gilding metal scroll, produced during WWII for some goodness knows why reason. K&K 2134.

I have no idea why the Rape & Pillage Corps were chosen for this "economy", I can't think of any other units whose badges were produced in this metal combination as a variation on the norm.

[yellow]

Am I correct in assuming there are gilding metal fakes about?

Steve.

[leigh kitchen]

There will be, if only because some of the original manufacturers have broken out their old dies to run off orders placed by people or organisations since the badges concerned became obsolete.
But who knows the validity of the gilding metal / brass issue, & how can you tell them apart visually?
I suppose that it's thanks to a glut of bendy fake badges some years ago we tend to think of fakes as being in bendy brass.