Victorian Silver Name Brooch - BERTHA - Chester 1898 SOLD

Here is a nice antique Victorian silver name brooch.  It is a 19th Century example and has the hallmark of the Chester Assay office along with the letter 'P' which is the cypher for the year 1898.  There are also three letters -'A.J.C' which are probably the makers' marks.  This sterling silver bar brooch has the name BERTHA in capital letters on a scroll ended design.  The brooch is decorated with a rose and two leaves on the top and underneath the name itself along with a ittle engraved detail and some ball decoration.  The brooch is in very good condition.  On the reverse it fastens with an old fashioned 'c' type clasp which appears to be a replacement catch as it is in brass rather than silver.  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 were very popular.  The growth of machine use in the manufacture of jewelry made these pins affordable.  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. This 'Bertha' name brooch measures approximately 1.5 inches by half an inch at its widest point.