How To Tell Authenticity And Date Of Mfg. French Beret Badge

[Travd3]

I am out of my area with this badge.  I need to find out if it is authentic and possible date of Mfg. (at least time frame)  Any and all help would be appreciated.

[Tonomachi]

I'm not an expert on French insignia but it is my understanding that one of the ways to date a Drago piece is by the company address which has changed over the years (see list below).  Drago doesn't always have their address on a piece so another way of guessing the era of manufacture is by looking at these pattern of short lines the you can barely make out in your piece.  The more irregular pattern (photo 1 - 3) is an older post war piece used during the beginning and middle of the French Indochina War era. Another way to date a piece is by the Homologue number which is kind of like an official patent number.  Your piece lacks this number which is G1585 (see photos).  Whenever you see a G in front of the number it is for parachutist insignia like this French Marine Airborne beret badge.  The problem with a badge that only has a DRAGO PARIS hallmark is that this is also the same hallmark that is used on their restrikes.  I believe that another tell that this might be a restrike is the weak pattern of short lines that are more prominent in the badges pictured below.  So if you want one of these I would recommend one with the Homologue number like the examples pictured below (Photo 1 - 5).   

 

Drago:

Drago 25 R. Beranger Paris Depose (III)- often late 1930s

Drago Depose / Drago Paris Nice (Depose) - a bit more flexible - wartime to early postwar

Drago 43 R. Olivier Metra - immediate postwar (colonial) - late 1940s/Indochina

Drago 3. R. de Romainville Paris - Primarily 1950s

Drago Paris - most common and longest running marking - generally used from 1955

 

 

 

[earlymb]

2 hours ago, Tonomachi said:

Another way to date a piece is by the Homologue number which is kind of like an official patent number.  Your piece lacks this number which is G1585 (see photos).  Whenever you see a G in front of the number it is for parachutist insignia like this French Marine Airborne beret badge.

 

Very interesting, would you happen to have more info on these numbers and how to use them to date insignia?

[Tonomachi]

4 hours ago, earlymb said:

 

Very interesting, would you happen to have more info on these numbers and how to use them to date insignia?

These patent number were given out to manufactures of French insignia by what they refer to as a Military Symbolic Office kind of like our Institute of Heraldry that gives out those alphanumeric codes to manufactures of US insignia.  However unlike the US alphanumeric codes that changed over the years these French patent numbers did not.  The letters in front of the patent number can give you a clue as to which type of unit wore the insignia like A for Air Force, H for Pre Military, G for Parachutist and GS for Commando.  With Drago they used their patent numbers from 1947 through 1960.  To further determine the age of a patent numbered piece you look at the company address and/or "irregular" Vs "perpendicular" stripe pattern.  These clues are for Drago pieces only as there are other clues for other manufactures like Arthus-Bertrand.

[Travd3]

I truly appreciate the info. you posted.  Extremely informative.  I think I need to consider the badge I posted as a restrike. 

[earlymb]

On 6/28/2023 at 3:24 PM, Tonomachi said:

These patent number were given out to manufactures of French insignia by what they refer to as a Military Symbolic Office kind of like our Institute of Heraldry that gives out those alphanumeric codes to manufactures of US insignia.  However unlike the US alphanumeric codes that changed over the years these French patent numbers did not.  The letters in front of the patent number can give you a clue as to which type of unit wore the insignia like A for Air Force, H for Pre Military, G for Parachutist and GS for Commando.  With Drago they used their patent numbers from 1947 through 1960.  To further determine the age of a patent numbered piece you look at the company address and/or "irregular" Vs "perpendicular" stripe pattern.  These clues are for Drago pieces only as there are other clues for other manufactures like Arthus-Bertrand.

 

Thanks!

[sanders90202]

alors pour l'adresse de drago ca fonctionne avec les insignes de beret rond dit metropolitain , celui ci est l'insigne para des troupe de marine ou coloniale il est apparu debut des annees 60 puis et ete remplacer par une version rondes et vers 66 la version que tu as est revenu