Can someone date a Dowler slider please?

[Cardiffbloke]

I have a chromed badge with the following maker's mark on the slider:
DOWLER . BIRMINGHAM
Can someone date that mark? Note the full stop after DOWLER
Thanks
H

William Dowler & Sons manufactured badges and buttons in Birmingham from 1861 to 1969. Your best way of dating the manufacture is to identify the period the individual badge was worn then try to ascertain why there might be a chromed version. Dowler.Birm. or Dowler.Birmingham are the common marks of the factory and spanned many decades. Even on buttons, the full name and address of the firm is quite rare. Hope that helps. Regards. David

[Alan O]

Most likely 1950s or 60s from the ones I have.

Alan

[Cardiffbloke]

Thanks for that, I have what i thought to be a KDG chromed example from just before amalgamation in 1959 with that mark. But recently, someone thought that the mark could be a later one making it QDG.... So in fact, from what you both say.... It could be either!!

[KLR]

From what (little) I know about chromed badges, they would have been plated well after original manufacture, so that the makers name would be of an earlier date. Who did the chroming is another matter. One theory (which fiots with the chromed KLR badges I have) is that it was done for the 1953 coronation, though I'm sure there are others.

There would be no Dowler sliders or button backmarks after 1969 - Firmins made sure of that when they took over the firm in that year. The comment about post-manufacture chroming is most likely and probably an unofficial act. Certain Regimental Police badges were chromed but were an informal practice - chroming the regimental cap badge but worn only when on RP duties. And then there are the old comrades who often chromed their badges. The key answer here is not to associate Dowler's manufacture with the chroming. Regards. David