This is a bazaar casting of the badge of what could possibly be from a bandsman's pouch or perhaps an officer's undress pouch belt. The 4th Hussars were a prestigious British light cavalry regiment and no doubt this badge was cast in the bazaar to replace a British original which had been lost.

This little badge (7.5cm across) may be of Indian parentage, inasmuch as its provenance is Indian and it appears to be a one-peice bazaar casting in brass. I think it would have been worn on the top pocket of a tunic, as it appears to be too large to have been worn as a shoulder title.

This commemorates the service of the Gloucestershire Regiment in Egypt in 1801, unique in the annals of the British Army, inasmuch as they are the only regiment to wear the back badge commemorating the moment when the rear file of the regiment was ordered to turn around and fire at the French who were attempting to take them from behind.

The Royal Engineers were responsible for bridge/road building, mine fields, their laying and clearance, etc. These brooches would have been worn by women on their handbags and lapels to commemorate the service of their men in the field, a tradition which started in the Boer War.

This is a particularly fine die-struck gilt badge (4 x 4.5cm), possibly fire gilt (as opposed to electro-gilt), with the coat of arms of Dubin in the centre, backed by the sword and scales of justice and a civic mace, topped by the burgher's crown. A court official (eg the Tipstaff of the Court) would have worn this.

This shows quite a nice head-and-shoulders portrait photo of Baden-Powell wearing the hat popularised later by the Boy Scout movement, which he founded. His original glory came from the defence of Mafeking. There were great celebrations throughout the Empire when Mafeking was relieved and this is an example of what this euphoria produced.

The 17th Lancers gained eternal fame in the Charge of the Light Brigade, along with other Light Cavalry regiments, but their use of the skull and crossbones as an emblem goes back to the 18th century. According to King & Kipling's Head-Dress Badges of the British Army vol. 2, this exact design was a sealed pattern of 30th July 1927.

This could be a commemorative piece for any of the late Victorian Jubilee celebrations. Alternatively, it is just possibly an ordinary patriotic piece with no particular date. Her long reign spanned from 1837-1901, but my guess is that this was definitely made towards the latter end of it.

This shows the Spanish Royal Arms (probably those of Alphonso XIII, king of Spain from 1886 until his death in 1941 in exile in Rome) surrounded by the Collar of the Golden Fleece, all in enamel. These little badges may have been made to order by royalists in exile during the Spanish Civil War.

This was worn on the Home Service helmet, constructed from cork, and, in this case, covered with grey cloth. The crowned portcullis device in the centre is from the arms of the City of Westminster. The QWR, founded in 1860, served with great distinction all through the 20th century's wars.