Family Heirlooms.

[LoneyBones]

Hi all,
I've been on the Cheshire Board trying to get some information about who made my G-Grandmother's brooch.
I also have a second brooch, this one from Birmingham, and several other bits of jewellery that I want to hand down to my daughter, who will hopefully hand down to her daughters.
I thought that instead of going to the ermmm, Warwickshire? Board, it might be an idea to start up a new thread for anyone who has an heirloom they want information about. There have been a few items over the years that people have wanted information about and these don't really fit on the Photo Restoration Board or any place else. They just pop up at random in the Common Room.
So I figured if I start it rolling with my brooch, there may be someone who can help me and if anyone else has an heirloom they'd like some information about, there may be someone here on RC who can help.
.....
This brooch belonged to my G-Grandmother. I've taken it to my local jeweller and he has told me a few things about it, I've also searched through a few Silver Hallmark websites. What I know is that it's sterling silver, made in Birmingham in 1885. What I don't know is the maker's name. I'd like to find out his name and something about him if possible.
So what I'm looking at is the "Maker's Mark"
Any help is much appreciated.
Leonie.

[jc26red]

It looks like its possibly Alan Smith, see the link

http://www.925-1000.com/dlBirmingham.html

At first glance, looking at the blown up makers mark I thought there was a J in between the A and S... but the indent shape matches Alan Smith so perhaps its just the way the warm silver moved when the mark was make

[majm]

It is absolutely beautiful LB

Sorry, but I am absolutely a newbie when it comes to makers marks, or even when it comes to trying to take a photo even.

I have inherited brooches, and various other items from my Gran, who had inherited some of them from her Mum, Gran etc.   Of all Gran's "treasures" which incidentially are most likely without much financial value for we were all allowed to play dress ups with them as toddlers even .... her most treasured 'brooch' was her AIF widow's brooch.   She would walk us down the street and be constantly checking that it was still there. She called it "my Badge" ....  "Have I got my Badge on right"  "Now don't touch my Badge, you can play with any of the baubles, but not my Badge".  I know my Gran's stories for each of her jewellry items, and of course all her stories for her Badge, for it was for my Grandfather's place in her heart, and he made room there for all her grandchildren...  

Cause I cannot master cameras, my descendants have to make do with my humble wordsmith skills of Gran's stories.  


Cheers, JM  

[LoneyBones]

Hi both,
I looked at Alan Smith, but he's second half of 20th century. The date stamp in a lower case letter L, with serifs, which is 1885.
I've also found an Albert Sydenham that maybe fits but can only find his works from 1893 onwards.
Arthur Johnson Smith (just in case that IS a J in the middle  ) has works also 20th century, but none later than 1920.
I'm really inclined to go with Albert Sydenham but can't find him in the 1881 census. Haven't looked at other censuses yet, or deaths for him in Birmingham that might give a clue.

I'm pretty much a newbie as well JM, but I'm learning. 
Leonie.

[jc26red]

Oh, I looked for a year stamp but could only see Victoria which puts a time limit on the brooch.  Still doesn't take it up to A Smith's time though.

[majm]

Are the markings directly opposite the ones LB has circled of any significance?  (I said I was a newbie, so I could be way way off track)

JM

[LoneyBones]

Sorry JM, I should have made that clear.
The marks at the bottom are;
Lion passant - sterling mark.
Lower case L with serifs - date mark. (1885)
Anchor- place mark for Birmingham.
My good friend the jeweller told me this stuff, I didn't know that last week. You learn something new every day. 

[LoneyBones]

Oops... just looked up bakelite, that's what the pink flowers are, I thought. Bakelite wasn't invented until 1907. 
That doesn't work with the date mark.    I'll have to look for another material for the flowers. Glass maybe.... definitely not coral.

[majm]

Agh .... I see .... so there's magnifying equipment needed to get to Roman numerals which are formed during the process of making these brooches, and are thus in silversmith's shorthand thingy me bobbbbs ... ummmm .... well I have Gran's stuffs out so I might have to get OH onto taking some photos over the next few weeks .... cause there's markings on them all... and some, well they could date back to Sydney Town in say 1810s ..... 


Cheers,  JM