BLANCHE - Silver Name Brooch - Hallmarked Birmingham 1913

With large bold capital letters clearly spelling the name 'BLANCHE' this is a very nice Sterling Silver bar Name Pin.  Made and assayed in Birmingham in 1913 with the classic anchor hallmark, the letter O and the makers mark of 'TJS' all marks clear to read. 'TJS' is the mark of the silversmiths Thomas James Skelton  who were working in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter in Vyse Street, Birmingham at this time,   This lovely antique brooch has a pleasing shape, it is heavily decorated around the borders and in the middle of the brooch and at each end with engraved work.  Measuring 2 inches in length the silver name brooch is almost three quarters of an inch at its widest point.   This brooch, which is a larger sized name pin, is in very good condition. Fastening with a long silver pin and a simple 'c' shaped pin guard this would likely have been treasured by its owner over a hundred years ago.  I have left a little of the patina indicative of its age but it has been  buffed with a silver cloth so it is keen and fresh to wear. What a lovely gift it would be for BLANCHE or  you could add it to a collection of Antique Silver Name Brooches. 

It is reputed that these name pins were first worn by the servants in England's large country houses.    The pins quickly became a popular form of sweetheart brooch for the sentimental Victorians.  The popularity of the brooches continued  through the Edwardian period into the 1920's and there was a revival of these items during World War 2.  Materials used for name brooches include Silver, Gold, base metals and rolled gold wires, sometimes they are set with gems, diamante or paste or marcasite.  Names are also engraved and sometimes painted onto natural materials like  ivory, bone or Whitby Jet and early plastics like Bakelite, Celluloid, Casein and Lucite.  It was also popular to make brooches with the words 'Mother' and 'Baby' ;  with initials on or letters which make up a name in the form of a puzzle; with place names upon them or simply with sentiments like 'Best Wishes', 'Mizpah' (an old hebrew prayer which  translated  means 'may the Lord watch over us whilst we are apart' ) or the words 'Souvenir'.