Siamese Sterling Silver Money-Clip

I need someone who's a bit more of a historical expert than I am...and that's saying quite a lot...



What we have here is a beautiful, silver money-clip, marked 'SIAM - STERLING'



There's no other marks on it, inside or out. I paid not much at all for this, because I just loved how decorated it was.

If memory serves, Siam ceased being called Siam after WWII (it started in 1939, but didn't really happen until 1949, thanks to the Japanese).

That being the case, my supposition is that this piece dates back to the 1910s or 1920s (or early 1930s). Would that make sense? I don't know anything about money-clips, beyond the fact that they exist...

 

Not a history expert.
My son did a report on Thailand when he was in school. I thought I remembered that the name changed in the mid 1960s. When I went to find the exact date Wiki is saying what you said that it changed in 1939 and in 1948.

But that doesn't work with what I remember as a kid. I don't remember the country of Thailand, I remember a country of Siam. When we went to SF Chinatown, there was lots of sterling jewelry from Siam. This would have been in the early 1960s.

I'm more inclined to think your money clip is 1950s-60s. Not 1930s.
Only my opinion, based on my weird memory.

 

https://jewellerymuse.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/guide-to-vintage-siam-silver-niello-jewelry/

Mostly Niello ware that they seem well known for , but i saw some tobacco related items while googling....in straight silver.....

 

I'm basing my dating on what I read on Wikipedia, and other sites. I have no clear idea how old it is. As it stands, I'm saying prewar. Until someone can show me a definitive source. Because I'm not sure where to look. They all say that Siam became Thailand in 1939, but because of the war, it didn't take effect until 1949.

So I reckon prewar, or very early postwar. But I dunno. I have nothing else to go on.

 

As I recall, it was still being called Siam by people in general in the 60s.

Kids would get other kids to sing the national anthem of Siam.
"Oh wha tan ar Siam".
It was probably the early 70s before the name change began to stick.

I am sure this is a tourist souvenir from the Age of Aquarius.

It was not till the age of the relatively cheap long distance flight that the type of tourism this gadget was made for really became a mass activity. Money clips were really a thing for Americans, most folk kept notes in a wallet.
I'd bet my bippy this thing is younger than I am by 20 years.

 

How old are you, then? Because I have no idea still...

 

It dates from the 1960s.

 

I once had a (new) silver ring gifted to me in the late 1960s that was marked "Siam Sterling", and I have seen many items from the period with that mark.

 

OK, 60s it is. Thanks folks.

 

As far as I know the 'siam sterling' mark was used in the 1940's. At that time most 'siam sterling' was not actually sterling - 925 grade - but a lower grade.
The graceful lady with the lightning flashing from her hand is the popular goddess of lightning, I forgot her name.
A beautiful piece, whatever the period or silver content.

 

Whoops, just checked my Asian jewellery, the 1940's mark was 'made in siam sterling'. The 'siam sterling' mark was later.

 

http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/siam-officially-renamed-thailand

--- Susan

 

I think the official renaming had little to do with the production of jewellery and those boxed sets of cutlery marked "Siam". I think the manufacturer's used the name "Siam" as a KIND of trademark/selling point.

 

For a start they had to wait till the "Anna and the King of Siam" effect had died down.

 

Just as an aside, has anyone ever read the real backstory to this musical farce? Anna was not the gentle, demur little widow she "became" on stage. Let us just say that to escape her scandalous reputation, she practically had to leave England............'nough said..........

 

In other words, we would have liked the real Anna a lot more.

 

Well, she wouldn't have made you give back your dinner or thrown you into sugar shock. And she would have been a hellova lot more fun AFTER the dance.....

 

I can't answer the question about exactly when Siam quit being used if it actually has. I have some place card holders marked Siam Sterling so I've been curious myself. My pieces were found in a box from a place in Bangkok that is still in business but of course they might not be in their original box.

I also remember Thailand being known as Siam and "Thailand" being very slow to filter into common use. I'm thinking it was at least the 60's before that really happened.

Anyway here is a little bit I found.
http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=14811&p=59591&hilit=siam+sterling#p33168

"judging by the Thai writing at the bottom of the bowl and the design, I believe the bowl was made during that period. The craftmanship is not as nice as the older pieces. The Thai terminology used in indicating the type of silver (#1 Silver or The Best Silver) is more of a modern terminology. The older pieces do not indicate the type of silver and most do not have even the maker mark. In the period between 1950 to 1969, you would normally see 'SiamSterling' or 'Made In Siam' stamped on a piece. I still see some of the similar pieces made to this day in Bangkok. They were not made to fool a tourist as antique. Otherwords, they are presented in brand new shiny pieces."