Featured Locket & Brooch - Mark Help

Greetings,

Two items here for consideration and hopefully some clarification. The first is a locket. From the marks I’m seeing Birmingham, 9ct and what I’m assuming is the maker’s mark (WNC? WHC?) But whats got me stumped is the date mark. It doesn’t look like the ones I’ve checked out online. Can anyone take a stab at it?

This brooch I believe is 1897, Birmingham, is a bit of a head scratcher. The seller also thinks it was repurposed later in it’s life and was not originally a brooch. What could it have originally been?

 

Is that a magnifying glass under the nickel?

 

Nope, the top part unscrews and the glass slips out and opens. I popped two pictures of my two babies in it. Last time I posted a find with a picture of my child on it I caught a whole bunch of lectures from different folks on the forum who got upset about it so instead of tempting fate again, I opted to block out the image.

 

Brilliant, thank you!

 

That's what it looks like to me, and it is a beauty. The style is right for that period too.

Why not?

It has the shamrock too, and the flower could represent the rose? So Scotland and Ireland and possibly England. Our Brits can probably tell us more.

 

The small holes in the back that seem rather off.

 

Aren't those there because the parts they are in are double sheet silver?

 

I have no idea

 

That one also has two holes in the back.

 

Must be a part of the construct! Hopefully someone comes along who know the story of these and can tell us.

 

Hmmmmmm........it might have been a regimental badge, but it has only three nations, which is odd. No daffodil for Wales. RICG. Let me think.

 

It has something to do with the manufacturing process, I don't think you see it on pieces that entirely handmade.

 

Wasn't that because Wales was often considered to be part of England? Tudor and all that?

 

They're vent holes intended to release gases/steam when soldering hollow pieces, otherwise they could blow up - they are found on both commercially and handmade objects (holes are sometimes closed with a quick solder)...

~Cheryl

 

Wales has the same status as the other nations, so it's usually depicted if there's the floral emblems. Sometimes a leek, rather than a daffodil. Maybe that's what the edge bits are meant to be.