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".