Name Brooch - 9ct Gold name pin 'DORIS' (SOLD)

This tiny 3cm (just over an inch) gold pin has been nicely engraved with the name 'Doris'.  It dates from around the 1920's and has a  guarded 'safety pin' type clasp.  It is marked with 9ct on the back for 9 carat gold but has a white metal pin.

It is lovely to collect sentimental jewellery and this little gold pin would fit into a collection or would be a great gift for DORIS.

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'.