Australian WWI Rising Sun hat badge?

[Hallibag]

This badge was found in a small box of militaria I picked up recently. It measures 40mm across. At first, I assumed it was an Australian hat badge from WW2 but, after a bit of research, I think it may actually be from WW1. If somebody could tell me when it dates to, I would be very grateful!

[Jerry B]

It often comes down to the maker. I don't have access to Cossum's master work until get home.

In the main they are largely identical unless on a slider which are wwi. Check the makers mark if it has one.

[Hallibag]

Thanks for your reply, Jerry B. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a makers mark that I can see. So, perhaps we'll never know for sure.

[Jerry B]

I would say if unmarked and going by the form of the rays that it is more likely to be WWII or just after rather than WWI, though that is only an opinion, made after looking at some reference material. Is it gilt?, if yes it is definitely post WWII.

[Hallibag]

No, it's definitely not gilt. Looks like a dull, brownish bronze finish on the front, but the back of the badge looks more like copper. Here's a photo that shows the colour of the front a little better than the photos above do:



Most of the WWII badges I've seen have cutouts between the bottom of the sun's rays and the top of the banner on either side of the sun, while the WWI examples seem to match my badge and don't have these cutouts. This is why I thought my example might be from the Great War, but perhaps I'm imagining these cutouts to be more significant than they really are. Anyway, below is WWII badge; I've circled what I'm talking about:

[Jerry B]

It looks very different in these latest pics.

this page 34 from cossum's shows WWI badges all with the cutouts, whilst p33 shows both WWI and WWII with the cutouts.

On p29 at bottom right are two nurses versions one each from both wars and that has cutouts on the WWI but not on the WWII, ignore them being silver.

If you look at collar badges most Aussie made examples do not have cutouts whilst British made versions do

[Jerry B]

I just checked the size you mentioned, it is of course a collar badge not a hat badge. Collars nearly always have no cutouts where you mentioned, except for two British makers which are usually WWI.

[Hallibag]

Okay, thanks Jerry B. It's bigger than I would have expected a collar badge to be. Thanks for setting me straight!

[Hallibag]

Hi, Jerry B:

I found this badge online, and it looks like mine:

Flying Tiger Antiques Online Store: WWI Australian Commonwealth Military Forces Collar Insignia by Stokes & Sons

So, I went back and had a close look with the loupe and can see faint lettering around the sun that I missed before, showing that mine was made by Stokes & Sons, as well. According to the chart you so kindly posted, I would say this makes it an RS150. Does this info help in dating the badge to WWI or WWII? The web page I found says WWI, but I don't know how trustworthy that is.

FYI, my badge also says "Melbourne".

[Jerry B]

I think the full spelling Melbourne is the earlier version so WWI does seem correct.

Here are both types from my collection, Melbourne and Melb. versions