Featured Odd mark on silver brooch

Charity shop £10, broken pin, back missing from the compartment, inch and a half wide. I thought I could add a ring to the c clasp and make it into a pendant. Birmingham 1833, can’t find the maker J.H for that date but I’m wondering what the other mark is, it’s only a part mark which doesn’t help identify it. Thanks for any help.

 

odd broach !!!

 

It may have been a mourning brooch with a memento/hair stored in the back. The mystery mark reminds me of a pewter touch mark.
@silvermakersmarks

 

Is your JH what I'm reading as HG or HC?

 

Looking like J.H to me this way up.

 

Here’s a better pic.

 

The date letter in the hallmark is lower case k for 1884 rather than upper case K for 1833. An 1833 mark would have also had a duty mark. Although 1884 is before the end of duty marks Birmingham omitted it from c1879 on silver which was too light to be dutiable. I have seen this JH mark before, with an 1883 hallmark, but I have not identified it.

Your mystery mark is a mystery to me too.

Phil

 

1884 fits with the style.

 

Thank you Phil, I did see a couple of unknown JH marks, I shall check out the Ks, the brooch does look Victorian.

 

Here is the exact same brooch on Etsy. It's marks are much clearer to read and might help you jewelry detectives solve the case.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1300635013/antique-england-victorian-sterling

 

That mark went away in 1883-ish unless it was already in the mold. That pretty well nails the date down.

 

Thank you! Mystery solved

 

The image of the mark from Etsy shows a partial design registration mark and includes enough to identify the year of the design (not its manufacture, which must have been after the design registration) as 1879 (letter Y). Correctly orienting the mystery mark also shows a Y in the same place as would be expected if the brooches are identical.

There is a guide to design registration marks here: https://www.925-1000.com/registry.html

 

Oh darn. I thought if you had the registration mark you could look up who registered it and know the maker.