Broach id help

[Garabaldi]

Help needed on how old this broach is. It says "sterling 70" and LUZA on the back. I found it at a home that was build in 1770. Ty

 

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[Breezie]

Hey G,
It has a Russian look to me, and judging by the 3 loops at the bottom, I think it was the base brooch for a chatelaine.

The name LUZA sounds Hungarian or Austrian.

It is marked STERLING, but it looks gold in color in the pics. Is it silver in person or does it look like the photos?

Neat find
Breezie

 

[Garabaldi]

It definately looks and is sterling in person. Nice seing you Breezie!!!!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

About time-dating the brooch you found at a 1770s homesite:
Despite a lot of research, including asking antique-jewelry experts, I've been unable to find any "solid" documentation that the stamped word Sterling (especially in "plain-block" letters) shows up any earlier than about 1880, plus or minus a few years. In particular, it does not seem to have been in use during the US civil war era, as I have never seen any US or Confederate military insignia stamped Sterling.

That indicates your Sterling-stamped brooch is from no earlier than about 1880. Apparently, prior to that time, hallmarks and decimal-stamping (such as .925) was used to designate an object's precious-metal content.

My secondary reason for replying to your post is the hope that some reader in this forum may be in possession of "solid" documentation on precisely when the stamped word Sterling came into use on jewelry, and eating-utensils, etc.

 

[Breezie]

TheCBG you're right. I too have been unable to find a solid documentation on a single date/time when STERLING was stamped on silver jewelry. In America it was randomly stamped on silver (not necessarily jewelry) during the early 19th century. Then in the mid-19th century, the Gorham silversmiths started using the STERLING word. Then by the late 1800s to turn of the century, jewelry makers (mainly Tiffany & Co.) decided to follow suit and use the word STERLING on jewelry that was .925 pure. Some was marked STERLING and some was marked .925.

When identifying and dating a silver jewelry piece, I judge by the 'style.' G's item has a European flair, and as I said above looks to be the brooch to a chatelaine. I think turn of the century would be a close date for it.

FYI Word History: The word STERLING came from the word ESTERLING. The Esterling Penny was a medieval British silver coin.


Breezie
PS: Good seeing you too G!

 

[Silver Searcher]

Easterling is a standard of silver (92.5%) used on early medieval coins, not a actual coin. It was first adopted by Henry11, the first coin he produced was the Tealby Penny, in 1158.
Easterling is a area in Germany, Henry11 recruited refiners from the area to produce the coins.

Luza is a River in Russia, so perhaps it is a Russian made piece....cool find.

 

[Breezie]

Easterling is a standard of silver (92.5%) used on early medieval coins, not a actual coin. It was first adopted by Henry11, the first coin he produced was the Tealby Penny, in 1158.
Easterling is a area in Germany, Henry11 recruited refiners from the area to produce the coins.

Luza is a River in Russia, so perhaps it is a Russian made piece....cool find.

Yes, your info is correct, but I was referring to the Easterling Penny.


Breezie

 

[Silver Searcher]

Yes, your info is correct, but I was referring to the Easterling Penny.


Breezie

Breezie, there is no actual Medieval British coin known as the Easterling Penny, sterling alloy originated in continental Europe (Germany).

SS

 

[Garabaldi]

Ty for all the help

 

[nhbenz]

I think it may be by William Kerr. A very similar guy with headdress is on this (not the guy in the middle, but look on the ends): https://www.etsy.com/listing/173834043/art-nouveau-belt-buckle-william-kerr?ref=market
And google searches turn up several pieces of his with the same dragons (with variations on what they call them). Many of these are listed as belt buckles. His pieces also seem to have similar pattern numbers as to the 70 marked on yours.
I also see chatelaines made by him. The guy sometimes being referred to as "green man".

 

[Pacificgirl]

I think nhbenz is on to what this is. That L is possibly an S. That is the somewhat near a Lucia font. But googling it, I couldn't find anything on the name. I'm wondering if that is a last name of a family engraved on it.

I think it may be by William Kerr. A very similar guy with headdress is on this: https://www.etsy.com/listing/173834043/art-nouveau-belt-buckle-william-kerr?ref=market
And google searches turn up several pieces of his with the same dragons (with variations on what they call them). Many of these are listed as belt buckles. His pieces also seem to have similar pattern numbers as to the 70 marked on yours.
I also see chatelaines made by him. The guy sometimes being referred to as "green man".

 

[nhbenz]

I meant to include a search showing the nearly identical dragons as well: william kerr dragons - Google Search
I couldn't find them in the link when I clicked on them though.