Fake & Reproduction ARP, Home Front & Air Raid-Related Enamel Lapel Badges
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During the second world war millions of ARP, home front and air raid-related enamel lapel badges were manufactured by the likes of Frattorini, Collins and H.W. Miller. Jon Mills' book "Doing Their Bit" is an invaluable resource for collectors and those interested in home front badges of the period.
Over the past several years the price of these badges has been steadily increasing. ARP badges especially have seen remarkable increases with some badges making prices over £200. Alas, with this increase has come the market for fakes, forgeries and reproductions. Military medal and uniform badge collectors have known for many years about restrikes and forgeries of badges. It is now certain that enamel home front and ARP badges are being faked. The only good news currently is that spotting the fakes is relatively straight forward. |
Fake ARP Badge
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How To Spot Fake & Reproduction WW2 ARP Home Front Air Raid Enamel Badges
Use the 6 Cs to spot the fake ARP badges:
Condition - the vast majority of the current badges feature what looks like verdigris. This is staining from acid dipping and used to age the badges.
Clasp - always with a pin fitting never the horseshoe lapel fitting. The badges all feature the same identical pin and clasp.
Creator - no maker's mark. The fake ARP badges do not have a maker's mark. Although a small number of originals do not feature a maker's mark, some fakes are of badges that originals always have a maker mark (the Women's Home Defence badge below always has Collins on originals).
Colour - solid enamel colours. The modern process of faking cannot reproduce the enamelling undertaken during the war. Comparing originals with fakes clearly show this.
Cut - machine cut modern font letters. Modern style fonts are used across multiple badges and the letters are not cut by hand as per the originals. Letters are exactly the same - looks at originals to see the difference.
Crook - sellers constantly offering badges that fit the above descriptions. A small number of sellers on eBay are constantly selling these badges and also adding new ones.
Condition - the vast majority of the current badges feature what looks like verdigris. This is staining from acid dipping and used to age the badges.
Clasp - always with a pin fitting never the horseshoe lapel fitting. The badges all feature the same identical pin and clasp.
Creator - no maker's mark. The fake ARP badges do not have a maker's mark. Although a small number of originals do not feature a maker's mark, some fakes are of badges that originals always have a maker mark (the Women's Home Defence badge below always has Collins on originals).
Colour - solid enamel colours. The modern process of faking cannot reproduce the enamelling undertaken during the war. Comparing originals with fakes clearly show this.
Cut - machine cut modern font letters. Modern style fonts are used across multiple badges and the letters are not cut by hand as per the originals. Letters are exactly the same - looks at originals to see the difference.
Crook - sellers constantly offering badges that fit the above descriptions. A small number of sellers on eBay are constantly selling these badges and also adding new ones.
Examples of fake / reproduction ARP badges
Fake WW2 Queens Canteen & BBC London ARP enamel badge
Fake WW2 Handley Page ARP enamel badge
Unstained fake WW2 Handley Page ARP enamel badge
Fake Armstrong Siddeley Motors Ltd ARP Enamel Badge
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Fake Anti-Gas ARP badge
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Fake ARP Warden Westminster badge
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Fake Castle Bromwich Assembly Factory CBAF ARP Badge
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Fake ARP Queens Canteen ARP Badge (all metal)
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Fake Armstrong Siddeley Motors Ltd ARP Badge (variation)
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Fake BSA ARP Badge
List of known fake ARP badges:
AVRO ARP - two versions one triangular, one with wings
London Housewives Service ARP
Straits Settlements ARP
Queens Canteen ARP - some coloured in blue and red, some left as metal only
BBC London ARP
Women's Home Defence
Austin Motors ARP Controller
Rolls Royce ARP
Handley Page ARP
Hong Kong ARP - both plain and infilled with red and blue enamel
Free Czechoslovak Field Ambulance England
Coventry First Aid ARP
ARP Warden Westminster - some variations in colour on the scroll known to exist
Armstrong Siddeley Motors Ltd ARP - two variations, one with coloured centre
ARP Anti-Gas - one plain metal, one with blue enamel infill
Castle Bromwich Assembly Factory CBAF ARP
BSA ARP
AVRO ARP - two versions one triangular, one with wings
London Housewives Service ARP
Straits Settlements ARP
Queens Canteen ARP - some coloured in blue and red, some left as metal only
BBC London ARP
Women's Home Defence
Austin Motors ARP Controller
Rolls Royce ARP
Handley Page ARP
Hong Kong ARP - both plain and infilled with red and blue enamel
Free Czechoslovak Field Ambulance England
Coventry First Aid ARP
ARP Warden Westminster - some variations in colour on the scroll known to exist
Armstrong Siddeley Motors Ltd ARP - two variations, one with coloured centre
ARP Anti-Gas - one plain metal, one with blue enamel infill
Castle Bromwich Assembly Factory CBAF ARP
BSA ARP