www.925-1000.com

Hello,

I've just acquired a very unusual chain and my research and observations appear below. Does anyone have a view on what the actual object is? For some reason it also doesn't appear to me to be complete, as if the lowest bar has medallions hanging from it, why not all the other bars? The item is made up of both silver and other metals but as the Birmingham hallmark appears on most bars I've posted in this forum rather than the jewellery one.

Thankyou for any help,

Greg.

A very unusual ( and I believe masonic ) chatelaine / watch chain / dress chain. 42cm long and weighing 91g. Twenty three bar-type segments listing consecutive dates from 1929 — 1951. Starting from the bottom of the chain two gold metal medallions hang from the lowest bar ( 1929 ). To the reverse of these gold metal medallions, one is inscribed 1949 with a punch mark D and the other 1950, also with a punch mark D. Both of these lower gold metal medallions have the letters HN on their fronts. The first thirteen bars from the bottom are all fully hallmarked with the maker’s mark WD&S for W M Dowler & Sons ( 1898-1940 ), who were noted for making military ornaments, and with an anchor for Birmingham. Each of the lower thirteen bars are also hallmarked with consecutive date letters, starting with D for 1928 and up to Q for 1940 ( I don't think there was not an I in this hallmarking sequence ). The next ten bars are then again gold coloured metal and I cannot be sure what metal they are made of , although most of these gold coloured metal bars have the letter D punched on their reverse. The gold coloured metal bars start at the date 1942 and end at 1951. On all of the reverses of all the bars is inscribed 296318, apart from the top three bars. At the top of the chain is a classic hallmarked T-bar, with B.Bs also marked at one end.

Looks quite impressive stretched out full length.

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii6 ... itled3.jpg

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii6 ... itled5.jpg

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii6 ... itled4.jpg

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii6 ... itled2.jpg

Hi Greg,

I think these bars originally hung from a St. Johns Ambulance members badge.



Note the Maltese cross emblem on the 1950 and 1951 bars. Why the logo was different in the earlier years I'm not aware. Perhaps another ambulance service that merged with them at that time?

Trev.

Hi Trev,

Thanks, yes the St. John's Ambulance reference seems to fit more than the masonic one. I'll do some more research in this direction and maybe get back with any results.

Greg.

Hi,

Just an update with my research. With the St. John lead provided I have unearthed what the the item actually is!

Indeed the chain has associations with the St. John Ambulance Service :

"...these ' labels ' were awarded by the St John (not John's) Ambulance Association to civilian and uniformed first aiders each time they were successful in the annual re-examination. The intention was to attach them to a ' medallion ' awarded earlier. Many men wore them with an Albert watch chain. This practice was very common on the railways and in the collieries where the St John movement was very strong....” ( from a private email I received ).

Also here is a reply from the St. John Ambulance Museum I just got :

Dear Greg,
Thank you for your email and for the attached images.
The chain and medallions shown in the images are indeed related to St John Ambulance.The medallion is a First Aid re-examination medallion, and the bars are subsequent re-examination bars.The medallion and subsequent bars were issued on completion of passing first aid exams.
These have been issued from the foundation of St John Ambulance in the 19th century, and stopped being issued in 1992.
I’m afraid that the medallions were issued in their 1000s throughout the Commonwealth, being purchased by all who had passed first-aid exams, both members and non-members of St John Ambulance. I would therefore be unable to tell you anything else about the recipient of the medallion and subsequent bars.
However, having sat so many exams, it is highly unlikely that the recipient would not have been an SJA member.The number 296318 on the back would generally be the issue number of the medallion although this number seems very high for such an early issue.
You may be interested to access the fact sheet about first aid medallions on the Museum’s FAQs page on the website , under the “Is this a St John Medal?” heading.
http://www.museumstjohn.org.uk/faq/index.html
Best wishes,
Tom Foakes
Curator