SOLD MAY Brooch - Silver Name Pin -Late Victorian Birmingham 1900

This silver MAY  name pin has a Birmingham Hallmark - the Anchor and date letter ‘a’ for the year 1900 plus the letters TJS which are the maker's mark for Thomas James Skelton of Vyse Street, Birmingham.  This English Sterling silver brooch( as indicated by the lion passant mark also clearly seen to the reverse)  has the name May in uppercase fancy lettering and has lots of embellishments in the form of engraved foliate decoration either side of the name and all around the borders which are scalloped. This is typical of high Victorian - very decorative!  I have left the patina built over time on this brooch leaving you to clean it to suit your taste but I am happy to give the front surface a gentle buff with a silver cloth if you were to request it as bright as possible; no charge of course! 

It is a very nice example of an antique Victorian silver bar name brooch, a little bit more substantial than most. The brooch is in extremely good condition.  On the reverse it fastens with an old fashioned 'c' type clasp with a long Pin which is often the case with nineteenth and early twentieth Century brooches. Measuring almost 2 inches in length by .75 of an inch this pin is ready to wear and enjoy!

In the 1880’s Sterling silver jewellery became popular for everyday wear and was mass produced using the new machinery. This brought small jewellery pieces into a price range that more people could afford. Many items were made in an area in Birmingham fondly named  Britain’s Jewellery Quarter. All manner of Brooches were produced not just names but flowers, leaves, commemorative, hearts and birds. Some set with paste or gems, some enamelled - all affordable and novel.  The Victorians and Edwardians liked these sentimental brooches and pins.  The origins of the Name brooch, pin or badge was to 'label' the staff in large country houses. Later name pins were used as love tokens or sweetheart jewellery and there are examples of all kinds and a wide variety of styles and names, initials and so on. You can find name brooches in Sterling silver, Gold, base metals, metal wires, carved in Whitby Jet, Bone, Ivory and Mother of Pearl and also in enamel finishes. These great pieces of sentimental jewellery make wonderful Christening gifts and are a great collector's item for anyone interested in the Victorian era and the first part of the 20th Century.

JEWELLERY DETAILS

Designer or Brand: Makers mark 'TJS’ Thomas James Skelton 

Country of Origin: UK - Birmingham Assay Office

Condition: Excellent

Decade: 1900’s

Era: Antique Victorian

Type:  Name Brooch May

Material: Sterling silver