Royal Dublin Fusiliers sweetheart brooches

[phaethon]

7. My next Royal Dublin Fusiliers brooch is made from silver by Frederick Narborough, Birmingham, 1914. This is my favourite – very interesting and beautiful design.

One unusual detail as well – usually on the official Royal Dublin Fusiliers Coat of Arms “Tiger” as a symbol of 1st Battalion (previously 102nd. Regiment of Foot (Royal Madras Fusiliers)) bears top of 2nd Battalion “Elephant” (103rd. Regiment of Foot (Royal Bombay Fusiliers)). But on this brooch “Elephant” is on the top. Because that, I presume that the brooch was made for a family members and to the “sweethearts” from 2nd Battalion soldiers. Also this battalion stationed in England 1914 and landed in France with the BEF August 1914. What to you guys think about this theory?

Also because silver is lost lots of his shiny colour, what to you recommend, is there any point to clean it or I should leave it (like a coins – can ruin the value instead with the cleaning. Meantime I take it more as costume jewellery and maybe should fresh it a little).



Maker marks

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by phaethon

7. My next Royal Dublin Fusiliers brooch is made from silver by Frederick Narborough, Birmingham, 1914. This is my favourite – very interesting and beautiful design.

One unusual detail as well – usually on the official Royal Dublin Fusiliers Coat of Arms “Tiger” as a symbol of 1st Battalion (previously 102nd. Regiment of Foot (Royal Madras Fusiliers)) bears top of 2nd Battalion “Elephant” (103rd. Regiment of Foot (Royal Bombay Fusiliers)). But on this brooch “Elephant” is on the top. Because that, I presume that the brooch was made for a family members and to the “sweethearts” from 2nd Battalion soldiers. Also this battalion stationed in England 1914 and landed in France with the BEF August 1914. What to you guys think about this theory?

Also because silver is lost lots of his shiny colour, what to you recommend, is there any point to clean it or I should leave it (like a coins – can ruin the value instead with the cleaning. Meantime I take it more as costume jewellery and maybe should fresh it a little).

Lovely looking brooch. I am surprised it is 1914 as the rifle appears to be the Long Lee. I wonder if it is from an earlier die and then re-used to take the opportunity of a surge in demand in 1914.

[phaethon]

Thank you again!

I jump back to the brooch No. 1. I am currently checking maker marks and looks like that H&H do not stand for Hukin & Heath Ltd. However, there was some another unknown maker and same H&H into an oblong rectangle has been stamped together with the Dublin 1920 stamp. So, does anyone knows who this maker was and also can this brooch be made after the WW1 in Ireland (thats why scroll is green and "Royal" has been shortened to the "R", what is unusal).

http://www.silvercollection.it/ENGLI...ERMARKSXH.html


and the brooch again:



and one more H&H from Dublin:

http://www.leopardantiques.com/object/stock/detail/414

[ebro]

Hi,
I noticed this on ebay Item number: 230766020523.
It looked similar to the RDF one.
Eddie

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by ebro

Hi,
I noticed this on ebay Item number: 230766020523.
It looked similar to the RDF one.
Eddie

Hi Eddie, the rifle type brooch was very common and came in a number of variations, some with bayonet and some without and representing both Long Lee/Metford and SMLE. They came in just about every cap badge and both, base and precious metals.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by phaethon

Thank you again!

I jump back to the brooch No. 1. I am currently checking maker marks and looks like that H&H do not stand for Hukin & Heath Ltd. However, there was some another unknown maker and same H&H into an oblong rectangle has been stamped together with the Dublin 1920 stamp. So, does anyone knows who this maker was and also can this brooch be made after the WW1 in Ireland (thats why scroll is green and "Royal" has been shortened to the "R", what is unusal).



and the brooch again:



and one more H&H from Dublin:

http://www.leopardantiques.com/object/stock/detail/414

I think you are probably right that the green enamel and abbreviation of Royal to R reflects the turbulent political situation in Ireland in 1920.

Another thought about the other (rifle) brooch is that the Elephant might be 'above' the Tiger for chronological reasons, in that it relates to the battle of MYSORE, which took place long before the battle commemorated by the Tiger.

[phaethon]

8. Here is my new pick up. This sweetheart brooch is slightly different; First at all, there are no name or used Royal Dublin Fusiliers insignia but instead carries owner's initials on the centre Mother of Pearl piece. Secondly size of it - it's massive (to compare it, I have one picture below with the normal size QSA medal) and last there is a little chamber on the back (for a hair?).
Owner of that brooch was Sergeant James Monaghan, who served with the 1st Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers in South Africa 1899-1902.

[phaethon]

9. Next simple low end RDF brooch, what I picked up from Dublin yesterday.

[phaethon]

Originally Posted by phaethon

8. Here is my new pick up. This sweetheart brooch is slightly different; First at all, there are no name or used Royal Dublin Fusiliers insignia but instead carries owner's initials on the centre Mother of Pearl piece. Secondly size of it - it's massive (to compare it, I have one picture below with the normal size QSA medal) and last there is a little chamber on the back (for a hair?).
Owner of that brooch was Sergeant James Monaghan, who served with the 1st Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers in South Africa 1899-1902.

I was very pleased to get a picture of Sergeant James Monaghan, when he served with the 2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers.
All of his stuff was sold piece by piece around 4-5 years ago. I am glad to reunite these two at least.



close up. Looks like he his wearing some kind a watch and chain or is it the same brooch???

[phaethon]

10. My new Royal Dublin Fusiliers sweetheart brooch. Nice silver ring surrounding.

[phaethon]

11. My next pick up arrived today all the way from Australia. This one wasn't cheap bought but very unusual design catched my eyes + RDF brooches do not show up often, so most of my this month student grant was well spent
Does any of you have seen similar designs and can determinate the period and the maker?

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by phaethon

I was very pleased to get a picture of Sergeant James Monaghan, when he served with the 2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers.
All of his stuff was sold piece by piece around 4-5 years ago. I am glad to reunite these two at least.



close up. Looks like he his wearing some kind a watch and chain or is it the same brooch???

I don't think it is the brooch, but a pocket watch chain and fob.

The two new brooches are very nice, but I cannot help with a precise date. Probably from around the Boer War or WW1 though.

[mule-73k]

Originally Posted by phaethon

Thank you again!

I jump back to the brooch No. 1. I am currently checking maker marks and looks like that H&H do not stand for Hukin & Heath Ltd. However, there was some another unknown maker and same H&H into an oblong rectangle has been stamped together with the Dublin 1920 stamp. So, does anyone knows who this maker was and also can this brooch be made after the WW1 in Ireland (thats why scroll is green and "Royal" has been shortened to the "R", what is unusal).

http://www.silvercollection.it/ENGLI...ERMARKSXH.html


and the brooch again:



and one more H&H from Dublin:

http://www.leopardantiques.com/object/stock/detail/414

The 'H & H' with a Dublin date stamp 1920 most likely stands for Hopkins & Hopkins of O'Connell St, Dublin, jeweller and badge maker.

Regards,

Dave

[phaethon]

Hi,

Here is my new pick up from NI . Nice jeweller made sweetheart from gold:

[phaethon]

The 'H & H' with a Dublin date stamp 1920 most likely stands for Hopkins & Hopkins of O'Connell St, Dublin, jeweller and badge maker.

Regards,

Dave

Thank you so much Dave, thats brilliant information!