Page 1 of 1

kerr silver cigarette case

Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 4:11 pm
by Rayvenini
i think's it is made by Kerr, it a very nice little piece, it's engraved MAJOR H. HARLOW BROOKS M.R.C - USA 1917, i've been unable to find out anything about him, , one one side of the case are 4 symbols an eye, army cap and two bees which are very detailed, do these symbols mean anything to anyone? the silver mark is i think Kerr sterling 4677 AT

Image
Image
Image

Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 1:38 am
by byron mac donald
Hello-
I dont know what the symbols are for. The "MRC" is for "Medical Reserve Corp" U.S. army (army reserve, medical) I googled "dr harlow brooks" he is all over the web. Hope this gives you somewhere to look for the what appear to be army medical insignias. 1917 WWI.

Regards- Byron

Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 11:33 am
by dmay
The mark is that of Kerr.

Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 12:35 pm
by admin
Hi,
It's been making me crazy for days now. I'm fairly sure the engravings are a rebus or pictograph puzzle in which the images make up the words or syllables of a phrase. The concept was popular with Victorian jewelers, who made things like brooches consisting of an eye, honeybee & leaf for the phrase "I believe".
The damned hat is the problem, perhaps there is some obscure word for an officer's cap that would make it all make sense. As is, the best I can do is to view the cap as symbolic of rank to make it read "I be major, honey"....admittedly, kinda lame, but most rebuses (rebii?) are.

Regards, Tom

Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 7:01 am
by Waylander
I be happy? (eye-bee-hat-bee)? A bit of a stretch!

Waylander

Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 8:01 am
by Granmaa
The major's surname is Brooks so perhaps: I be major B.

Miles

Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 8:04 am
by Waylander
Miles, reckon you might have it!

Waylander

Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 10:38 am
by admin
Aaaah, that's a relief, thanks Miles.

Tom

Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 1:31 pm
by dmay
This has been driving me crazy as well! I was stuck on the "hat" word, but I think Miles has it!

I should post the rebus from the bottle cap from Haffenreffer beer that my college roommate and I could never solve, even sober!

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 2:10 pm
by Rayvenini
sorry not been in touch shot off to Egypt for a while

any idea on the age. i know it's engraved 1917, but the intials on the front dont match for Harlow Brooks they are H.L.C

thanks all and well done Miles

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 6:28 pm
by salmoned
I doubt a cover would be used to indicate rank, rather I'd expect an oak leaf [cluster]. "I be top Bee" seems more likely.