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MADNESS - PROTOTYPE VERSION OF THE HIGHLY COLLECTABLE 'MIS MEMBERSHIP ENAMEL BADGE' THE BADGE WAS ULTIMATELY SOLD TO FAN CLUB MEMBERS IN THE EARLY 1980s AS A BLACK BADGE WITH A WHITE 'M' MAN. THIS IS AN ALTERNATIVE VERSION WITH THE COLOURS INVERTED. STILL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.
MANUFACTURED FOR MADNESS BY DIAL-A-STYLE (THE
BADGE COMPANY WHO CREATED A BEAUTIFULLY MADE SERIES OF HARD
ENAMEL BADGES FOR MADNESS, IAN DURY & OTHER STIFF RECORDS ARTISTS
DURING THE LATE 1970s/ EARLY 1980s). INTRICALLY DESIGNED. A HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER COLLECTORS ITEM!
9 different handmade Dial-a-Style enamel badges were produced for
Madness in the early 1980s in a variety of colours. Enamel badges back then were
very different from the badges which are mass produced these days by
computerised machines in China. It was a very labour intensive process with 10
different stages involved and very skilled craftsmen, not dissimilar to making intricate
jewellery. Comparing these early Madness badges to modern machine made badges
is a bit like comparing a hand drawn cartoon to modern computer animation or say
Doc Martens boots made in China to those made in the UK. Here is how this badge
which is for sale here would have been made:
1. Firstly you would have to get an incredibly skilled engraver to carved your
chosen design into a block of steel. Once finished the block of steel is then
heated and cooled to specific temperatures to temper it and make the engraved design
incredibly hard. This is known as the ‘badge die’, only 9 Madness badge dies were ever made, one for each design. All the
Dial-a-Style Madness badges in existence would have been pressed from these 9
dies.
2. The starting material for the badge is a sheet of copper (90% copper and 10%
brass to be precise).
3. The sheet of copper is cut into small squares (blanks) large enough for each
badge.
4. The die is bolted into a mechanical press to emboss the design into the
blank.
5. The square shaped copper coloured blank embossed with the design is now
placed into another mechanical press that has been fitted with the cutting tool
set. These cutting tools are specific to each badge shape. This trims the
excess copper from the badge and gives the badge its final shape.
6. The copper coloured badge now goes to a soldering expert who solders the pin
and clasp onto the back.
7. Once soldered the badge is now sent to an enamelling expert who individually
adds each required enamel colour. The enamel is added by a hand to each badge
with a tool that looks not dissimilar to a fountain pen nib.
8. The badge is now fired at a high temperature to harden the enamel.
9. Once cooled the badge is then carefully polished prior to plating, if it
isn't polished then the plating metal will not attach properly to the copper.
If it isn’t plated with a finishing metal then the copper will tarnish, much
like a copper pipe. For the finishing metal an alloy is chosen that is tarnish resistant.
10. The polished copper badge is then plated with its chosen finished metal
coating usually nickel or gilt. The badge is now
finished.
For the World's largest range of official MADNESS memorabilia from the past 40+ years and for more information about this and several thousand other rare Madness collectables please visit our website: "Retro-Madness" (retro-madness.co.uk)
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