www.925-1000.com

Birmingham JS sterling thimble, Anchor, Lion, and some type of "m".
Can anybody identify the type of "m" to determine the year?


http://www.flickr.com/photos/baolvera/455573954/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yes, it's Birmingham 1911. Made by James Swann.

James Swann (& Son)
1887 - 2005

James Swann was born in 1837 - the year Queen Victoria acceded to the throne and also the same year Charles Horner was born. He founded the thimble making company in 1887 at 59 Branston Street and later moved to 25 Hylton Street in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham. The name of the company changed to James Swann & Son in 1922 after James' death when it was taken over by his second son Samuel Henry Swann. Sam died in 1943 and the company was run by his daughter Margaret Ethel. In 1957 the business was sold to a relative called Stanley Gardner Powell although Margaret continued as managing director until 1967.

Two young silversmiths who had trained and worked at James Swann & Son - Ray Coggle and Frank Jones - took the business over in 1970 and ran it jointly until 1986. Because of declining business in the 1980s the two partners decided to go their separate ways. Ray Coggle continued to run James Swann & Son from the Birmingham premises at 25 Hylton Street but moved to 61 Smith Street, Warwick in 1993. He announced his retirement early in 2005 so it is highly likely that name of James Swann will cease to be applied to new thimbles.

Thanks so much!!!!