Victorian Sterling Silver Nurses Double Buckle - Hallmarked Birmingham 1900 - Pan and Satyr
Here is a remarkable Sterling silver Victorian two piece belt buckle traditionally known as a “nurses' buckle”. It has Art Nouveau period influence with its swirls and flowers but also has a nod to the “gothic grotesque” and classical with Pan and Satyr. This very heavy and robust double buckle has a pierced and cast design with foliate, shells and scrolls with each half showing the god Pan playing his pipes and a Satyr with their half-human form and cloven hooves. It is in excellent condition. The Hallmarks ( clear to the front of each half of the buckle) indicate it is made from 925 English sterling silver ( Lion Passant) that was assayed in London (Leopard’s Head mark) in 1900 ( the letter e ) making it 1900 just in the British Victorian period. The maker’s Mark is “SJ” is for Samuel Jacob. To the reverse it has a belt loop to each piece and a tongue part and connector loop for fastening. Intriguingly there are inscriptions and details pertaining to its provenance. There is the UK Design Registration number indicated by Rd 358015 on each piece of the buckle meaning the design for this piece of jewellery was registered in 1900. Then there is a sweet engraved personal message which spans both sides of the silver buckle. To one side it reads “ From BABS” V.C.R. and on the other “ With love “ and 26/5/98 - 16/9/01. I wonder who owned it? I wonder why BABS gifted it? If only these lovely, historic, antique items could talk and tell us their secrets and their stories! Measuring approximately 4 inches by just over 2 inches, this lovely real silver double buckle has a gentle curve to facilitate its use and would make a great fastener for a modern belt or even an edge to edge style cardigan or would rightly take its place in a collection of English Silver or Antique Buckles. I have not deep cleaned this sterling silver buckle as I like the antique effect when a slight patina has built on an engraved design. If you wanted this silver nurses' buckle to shine “like new” it would be very easy to clean it up with silver cleaner or to buff it with a silver cloth.
JEWELLERY DETAILS
Country of Origin: Great Britain
Assay Office: London
Condition: Excellent
Maker: SJ for Samuel Jacob
Style: Gothic Grotesque, Art Nouveau
Era: Antique, 19th Century, Victorian
Type: Belt Buckle - two part buckle - Nurses' Buckle
Material: 925 Sterling Silver
Colour: Silver