TOPIC:

A "tailor's copy" of a medal clasp is a non-official, privately-made replica or a substitute, often purchased by the recipient or collector to wear on a uniform or for display when an original clasp is unavailable, lost, or expensive. These copies are produced by commercial businesses, not the official issuing body, and can vary in quality from basic replicas to more detailed "museum standard" versions. They are distinct from original, officially issued medal components, though they may be used to complete a set for wear or display purposes. 

What a tailor's copy is

A non-official copy: These are not issued by a government or military body like full-size original medals.

Often for display or wear: A recipient might have a tailor make a copy to wear in place of a rare or expensive original, or to complete a display of medals.

Made by military tailors: Military tailors would have sourced or made these copies to fill in for a missing clasp, such as when an original was misplaced over time.

Tailor's medal clasps" are not an official type of award, but rather a colloquial term for replica or replacement clasps made by civilian tailors and medal mounters. The practice of using such non-official clasps has existed for almost as long as official medal clasps have been in service, with mentions of "tailor's copy" clasps appearing in relation to medals from the 19th century. 

First Official Clasps: The first standardised, official campaign medals issued to all ranks with clasps were the Military General Service Medal (1793-1814) and the Naval General Service Medal (1793-1840).

Authorisation Date: Both General Service Medals were authorised in 1847 and issued in 1848 to surviving veterans as a retrospective award, with clasps denoting specific battles or actions.

Prior to 1847: Before this time, some regimental medals with "bars" for good conduct existed, but they were often unofficial, non-standardised, and typically funded by officers. 

"Tailor's clasps" likely emerged shortly after the introduction of these official clasps, as a way for recipients to obtain additional or replacement clasps, or for collectors to fill gaps in their collections, when official issues were difficult or impossible to acquire. 

Courtesy of the AI GOOGLER

David,

I imagine Noonan's mean that the copies were made about the time of the issue of the medal? I agree it is an ambiguous term. Modern copies are of better quality that these ... contemporary replicas.

Best wishes
David

Just been looking at the QSA Copy Clasps thread and there it is obvious which ones are the "fakes" with the letter spacing being the usual giveaway. But on F W Ford's medal the three claimed to be Tailor's copies look identical in letter spacing and all other features to the two considered to be "genuine".

David,

It is suggested that the top three are copies not because of the letter spacing but, I think, because of the width of the clasp overall (it is shorter than the bottom three clasps) and because of the irregular fit of the fasteners which, coupled with the unofficial rivets, gives the clasps an uneven vertical distribution.

If any member purchased this item it would be very interesting to see more pictures of the rivets and reverse of the claps.

Best wishes
David

Picture courtesy of Morton and Eden

QSA (9) Belmont, Modder River, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Wittebergen, South Africa 1901 (Lieut: A. Vice, Damant’s Horse.), engraved;
KSA (2) (Lieut: A. Vice. F.I.D.)

Described as:

Archibald ‘Archie’ Vice was born at Fort Beaufort on 26 November, 1869, north of Grahamstown, South Africa, the son of Irish settlers who arrived in the Eastern Cape in 1820. Educated at Fort Beaufort School and at the University of Fort Hare, Eastern Cape, he served in the Second Anglo-Boer War with Rimington’s Guides, enlisting as a Corporal (20030) in October 1899. Stirling records that, 'As far as numbers go they were not strong [N.B. only about 150 in number], but for quality, officers and men could not be surpassed' (‘The Colonials in South Africa’, refers).Fluent in Dutch and Xhosa – prerequisites for selection in this elite unit - Vice received a commission to Lieutenant on 17 October 1900 – apparently in relation to his ‘gallant conduct on one occasion at Retief’s Nek’ (as noted in a contemporary letter from Rimington himself dated 16 September, 1900). He is also mentioned by name numerous times in the book ‘With Rimington’ by Captain L. March Phillipps, detailing one or two anecdotes from reconnaissance missions, and also includes one particular ‘close call’ on 20 November 1900, when March Philipps and Vice encountered a party of Boer soldiers near Frankfort and exchanged fire with them. March Phillipps wrote: ‘My friend Vice had five bullets through his horse and was not touched himself, which was rather lucky for him (or unlucky for the horse).’When this scouting unit was paid off in the early months of 1901 he then joined its successor unit - Damant’s Horse - which absorbed the majority of the former members of Rimington’s Guides. At this time, on 26 January 1901, Lieutenant-Colonel Rimington wrote the following recommendation for Lieutenant Vice:

‘Lieutenant Vice joined my Corps at the beginning of the war in October 1899, and has done most excellent service ever since. He is brave and cool in action, and has repeatedly distinguished himself when engaged with the enemy in close quarters. I have absolute faith in his courage and discretion in front of the enemy and he has always led his men well, and in such a way as to secure their heart co-operation in the field. He has rendered me the greatest assistance throughout his service in my Corps.’

On 18 February he resigned from the unit and later served with the Field Intelligence Department as Intelligence Officer of the Calvinia District, Western Cape, after which there was some confusion regarding his subsequent recommendation for promotion to Captain (typed copy letters relating to this situation are included with the lot), the result of which is uncertain. Research offered with this lot states that he later became a Government Stock Inspector in the Northern Cape, and died on 26 March 1918 of enteric fever. His entitlement to the medal above is confirmed on the roll, showing the 8 battle clasps, and with the note ‘Medal (with clasps also 01) issd. 18.12.07.