The Ladies Collections

History & Art.

 .625 is 15ct Gold.

No Marks so Gilt Metal.

 Stamped with the Lion makes this Silver.

By Nicola Moss. In case of issue. With history.

Bronze Art Medal

London, Covent Garden Theatre, Old Price medal 1809, silvered brass, bust of Kemble left wearing a fool’s cap, OH MY HEAD AITCHES above, OBSTINACY below, rev. O.P. (Old Price) in in field, JOHN BULL’S JUBILEE, CLIFFORD FOR EVER around, 25mm.  Note: the raising of prices by theatre actor-manager John Kemble caused three months of rioting at the end of 1809.

this is a Soviet space memorabilia pin (badge) commemorating Yuri Gagarin's historic first human spaceflight.

Here is the breakdown of the details visible on the badge:

Front of the Badge (Left Image)

• CCCP: Located at the top in red enamel, which stands for the Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik (USSR / Soviet Union).

• 12 • IV • 1961: Located at the bottom, which is the date April 12, 1961—the day Yuri Gagarin orbited the Earth.

• BOSTOK (ВОСТОК): Written on the wing/spacecraft element trailing behind the central figure. Vostok (meaning "East") was the name of the spacecraft used for the mission.

• Imagery: The center features a stylized figure soaring into space against a background globe, a common heroic motif in Soviet space propaganda art (reminiscent of the famous "To the Conquerors of Space" monument design).

Back of the Badge (Right Image)

• The back shows a standard safety-pin style attachment mechanism typical of mass-produced Soviet aluminum pins (значки - znachki) from the 1960s–1980s.

These badges were incredibly popular in the USSR and were widely collected to celebrate milestones in the Soviet space program.

this is a British Victorian Sterling Silver Commemorative Brooch made to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887.

Here is a full breakdown of the features and hallmarks visible on the item:

Front of the Brooch (Left Image)

• The Inscriptions: It features a ribbon banner reading 1837 (the year Queen Victoria ascended the throne) and 1887 (the year of her Golden Jubilee), with the word JUBILEE wrapped underneath.

• Central Motif: A highly detailed, applied depiction of St Edward’s Crown sitting centrally above the banner.

• Border Elements: The oval brooch is framed with a continuous garland of national floral emblems (roses, thistles, and shamrocks representing England, Scotland, and Ireland) and delicate beadwork protruding along the outer edge.

Back of the Brooch & Hallmarks (Right Image)

The reverse contains a wealth of official stamps that provide exact details about its manufacturing and origin:

• Registration Number (RD 59113): Stamped right above the hallmarks. This British Design Registration number confirms the shape and decorative pattern were legally registered in late 1886 or early 1887 specifically for the upcoming jubilee market.

• Maker's / Sponsor's Mark (R.J.W): The initials inside the shield on the far left are for Richard John Wakefield, a prominent manufacturing jeweler based in Birmingham who specialized in these types of commemorative silver tokens. (Note: Due to minor wear on the stamp, the middle letter can sometimes look like an 'N', but it is a 'J').

• The Assay Marks:

  • Lion Passant: The walking lion symbol guarantees the purity of the metal as standard Sterling Silver (92.5% pure silver).

  • Anchor: The anchor mark turned sideways indicates it was assayed and verified in Birmingham, England.

  • Date Letter (m): The lowercase Gothic letter "m" corresponds to the specific year of 1886–1887, proving it was manufactured right on time for the mid-1887 celebrations.

• Security Chain: It still retains its original safety chain attached to the main pin mechanism, a hallmark design feature of high-quality Victorian silver brooches to prevent loss if the main pin unclasped.

this is a British Victorian Sterling Silver Commemorative Brooch made to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

Here is the full breakdown of the features and hallmarks visible on the item:

Front of the Brooch (Left Image)

• Central Shield: The brooch features a prominent coat of arms split into quadrants representing the United Kingdom: the three lions passant for England, the rampant lion for Scotland, and the harp for Ireland.

• The Inscription: Emblazoned directly across the center of the shield is a horizontal banner reading JUBILEE.

• Surrounding Motifs: The shield is topped by St Edward’s Crown and flanked by crossed scepters. It is encircled by a detailed wreath of the national floral emblems (roses, thistles, and shamrocks).

Back of the Brooch & Hallmarks (Right Image)

The stamps on the reverse provide precise details about its production, maker, and material purity:

• Maker's Mark (W.J.D): Located right under the crown, this is the trademark stamp for William James Dingley, a highly regarded manufacturing jeweler and medal maker based on Warstone Lane in the famous Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham. He was renowned for creating high-quality commemorative tokens and badges.

• The Assay Marks: Stamped in a row beneath the maker's initials:

  • Anchor: Placed horizontally, which confirms the piece was verified at the Assay Office in Birmingham, England.

  • Lion Passant: The official British guarantee that the piece is composed of solid Sterling Silver (92.5% purity).

  • Date Letter (x): The distinct lowercase Gothic letter "x" officially denotes the assay year of 1897—precisely aligning with Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

This is a late-Victorian Award Medallion from the Richmond & Surrey Photographic Exhibition, dating to the late 1880s or 1890s.

This is a large prize medal presented to successful exhibitors, complete with its original silk-lined presentation box.

Here is the breakdown of the historical and design details:

The Medallion (Left Image)

• The Inscription: Around the perimeter, written in a Gothic/uncial font, it reads:
  PHOTOGRAPHIC · EXHIBITION · RICHMOND · SVRREY

• Central Motif: It features an intricately detailed coat of arms topped with a ducal/coronet crown. The shield features a quarterly design with fleurs-de-lis and the three walking lions (leopards) of England, all enclosed in a border (bordure) decorated with additional mini fleurs-de-lis and martlets (stylized heraldic birds).

• The Engraver: Look closely at the small vertical text just to the right of the central shield—you can see the stamped name ALLAN WYON. Allan Wyon (1843–1907) was a member of the famous Wyon dynasty of British medalists and served as the Chief Engraver of Her Majesty's Seals.

The Presentation Box (Right Image)

The inside silk lining of the lid features a beautiful gold-embossed maker's mark that completely matches the engraver of the coin:

• WYON sits in the center beneath a crown and above the national floral symbols (rose, thistle, shamrock).

• 287 REGENT STREET / LONDON circles the perimeter, which was the official London workshop address for the Wyon family business during the late 19th century.

The reverse side of the medallion itself (not visible here) would typically feature a laurel wreath surrounding an engraved area noting the year and the name of the photographer who won it.

This image, medallion, shows both the front and the previously mentioned reverse side of the exact same Richmond & Surrey Photographic Exhibition Award Medallion engraved by Allan Wyon.

With the reverse now visible, we have the complete historical context and specific details for this exact piece:

The Reverse Side (Right Image)

The back features a classic laurel wreath tied with a ribbon at the bottom, encircling a personalized, hand-engraved inscription that details who won it and what it was for:

• The Recipient: AWARDED TO E. Howlett.

• The Category: FOR LANTERN SLIDES. Lantern slides were transparent glass photographs projected onto a wall or screen using a "magic lantern"—the Victorian predecessor to modern slide projectors and digital presentations. Winning an award in this category meant E. Howlett demonstrated exceptional skill in both photographic composition and the complex chemical process of producing high-quality glass positives.

• The Year: 1889. This confirms the exact date of the exhibition, fitting perfectly into the late-Victorian golden age of amateur photographic societies.

This is a Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Banksian Medal. First instituted in 1820, this historic award medal is named after Sir Joseph Banks (1743–1820), the legendary British explorer, botanist, and long-time President of the Royal Society who was one of the founding members of the RHS.

An analysis of the details visible in image_b2d3e8.jpg provides the following context:

The Obverse / Front (Left Image)

• The Portrait: Features a profile bust of Sir Joseph Banks facing right.

• The Inscription: Around the perimeter, it reads:
  SIR JOSEPH BANKS BT. P.R.S. BORN 1743 DIED 1820.
  (Note: "BT" stands for Baronet, and "P.R.S." stands for President of the Royal Society. Interestingly, early versions of this die by engraver William Wyon famously misspelled his birth year as 1745, but this specific medal has the corrected "1743" date).

The Reverse / Back (Right Image)

The perimeter features the stamped text THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. The center field is hand-engraved with personalized details from a specific competition:

• The Recipient: AWARDED TO Mrs. Thewles

• Location & Date: BIRMINGHAM, MAY 1903.

• The Venue: TEMPLE GARDENS, LONDON

• The Category: FOR NEW DESIGNS IN BOUQUETS

The RHS Temple Shows were highly prestigious spring events held at the Inner Temple Gardens in London (the direct historical predecessor to the modern Chelsea Flower Show). It appears Mrs. Thewles traveled from Birmingham to London in May 1903 to compete and won this prize for her innovative floral arrangements.

• The Base: The base appears slightly concave to straight, with some minor thinning flakes removed to make it easier to seat inside a split wooden or bone haft.

• Likely Classification: In North American typology, this strongly resembles point styles from the Archaic to Woodland periods (roughly 3,000 to 1,500 years ago). Specific regional type matches for this silhouette include the Kirk Corner Notched, Palmer, or Snyder variants, depending on where it was originally found.

Material and Manufacture

• Material: The point is knapped from a high-quality cryptocrystalline quartz, most likely chert or flint. It has a pale cream, grayish-tan color with a distinct white inclusion near the tip.

• Flaking Workmanship: You can see clear evidence of bifacial pressure flaking along the edges. The knapper used a tool (like an antler tine) to press off small, precise chips, creating a sharp, slightly serrated cutting edge.

• Condition: The point is in remarkably complete condition. The tip and both delicate corner barbs are entirely intact, which is rare for field-found specimens since these fragile areas usually snapped upon impact or during cultivation.

this is a cast copper-alloy socketed arrowhead, specifically a trilobate (three-lobed) or triangular tanged/socketed point.

These are historically associated with antiquity and are widely known as Scythian-type arrowheads, used extensively throughout the Eurasian Steppe, the Middle East, and Mediterranean regions from the 7th century BC through the Hellenistic period.

Typology and Design Features

• Trilobate / Triangular Section: As shown in the side profile views on the right, the arrowhead features a distinctly molded triangular cross-section with three distinct faces or ridges. This aerodynamic, armor-piercing shape was designed to punch through leather or light bronze armor.

• Socketed Base: Looking at the bottom of the left image, you can see a hollow circular opening. Unlike modern or Native American arrowheads that attach via a flat tang inserted into a split wooden shaft, this style was "socketed"—meaning the sharpened wooden arrow shaft was inserted directly inside the hollow base of the metal arrowhead.

• Material: It is made of cast bronze or copper alloy, displaying a heavy, dark grayish-green patina consistent with ancient metalwork that has been buried for over two millennia.

Historical Context

These compact, mass-produced bronze points revolutionized ancient archery. They were popularized by nomadic Scythian horse archers but were quickly adopted by the Persians, Greeks, and other ancient military forces due to their devastating efficiency and ease of casting in large quantities.

this is a piece of antique novelty jewelry—specifically, an arrowhead stickpin or tie bar designed to resemble a full arrow lashed across a central bar.

This piece blends genuine or replicated Native American artifact style with historical western novelty fashion. Here is a breakdown of its features:

Design and Construction

• The Component Arrowhead: The star of the piece is a genuine or finely replicated miniature stone projectile point (side-notched style, knapped from a dark, jasper-like chert or flint). It features a distinct serrated edge along the blade.

• The Metalwork: A gold-toned metal arrow shaft runs perpendicular to the main pin. It is complete with stylized cast-metal fletching (feathers) and a nock on the tail end.

• The Lashed Detailing: To mimic how an actual ancient hunter would attach a stone point to a wooden shaft using sinew, the jeweler used fine, twisted gold wire wrapped crosswise around the notches of the arrowhead, securing it to the metal framework.

• The Attachment Bar: The long, straight bar running vertically serves as the mounting pin, which would be slid into a necktie, cravat, lapel, or scarf.

Historical Context

Items like this were highly popular from the late Victorian era through the 1920s. During this period, there was a massive cultural craze for "curio" and frontier-themed jewelry across both North America and Britain. Jewelers would frequently take authentic, small "bird points" (tiny arrowheads found by collectors or farmers in fields) and mount them into gold or silver settings to be sold as unique, high-end souvenirs and menswear accessories.

1937 Coronation Medal for the Parish of Costessey

1999 Kett Rebellion Bronze Art Medal. From the Paul Conner Collection.

450 th ANNIVERSARY Of Kett's Rebellion.

History.

The Golf Course.  Bronze Art Medal From the Paul Conner Collection.