Topic: Caithness Luckenbooth Brooch w/Ysart Stone?

[Lily of the Valley]

Came across this brooch earlier this week on a getaway to the shore.  The photos are not very good but a trip to a jeweler today revealed the markings to be an anchor, lion (passant), and a ? (V or W as best I could tell even with 10x magnification).  The CG is very clear as is the number "1" below the C.  Using the Ysart Glass site, I believe this is a Caithness Luckenbooth silver brooch with what I hope is a Paul Ysart stone. :X:  I'm also curious about the number 1.  Any and all information is very much appreciated, as always.   

http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-14968

Lily 

[KevinH]

Assuming the hallmark (Birmingham) is either V or W then that indicates that the "stone" was 99% likely to have been made by Paul Ysart. Paul left Caithness during 1971.

For some more info, in a message from 2006, initially discussing Caithness Thimbles, I made the following comments:

A lot of the confusion (and mis-information on eBay listings) derives from the fact that after Paul Ysart had left Caithness, there were still many of his paperweight stones available and these were not exhausted until about 1973. This had been mentioned by both Colin Terris and Peter Holmes.

The same point applies to Peter Holmes' stones where supplies would have been available to Caithness for a while after he had also left.

So, putting definite start and end dates to the use of these paperweight stones is unwise - apart from the examples with an accompanying 1970 hallmark, of course.

For later Caithness versions (i.e. stones not made by Paul or Peter) the visual aspects are enough to tell them apart. But Peter's work was very much like Paul's and so it is often difficult to be sure about whose stone was set in a piece made from 1971 to 1973 (and maybe a bit later). Only a comparison against a known example or a personal confirmation from Peter would really prove the case.

[Lily of the Valley]

Thank you, KevH, for your information.

Before posting, I searched the GMB for all references to Ysart stones/caithness jewelry and read your posts as well as any others.  A visit to the Ysart Glass site was also helpful.  Unfortunately, I've done so much looking that now it's hard to recall what I saw where.   What I do not recall seeing or reading about is any reference to a number such as the "1" on the back of my brooch.  Do you have any thoughts regarding this number and its meaning?

Lily 

 

[KevinH]

Sorry, I have no information about "numbers below the "CG".

[Lily of the Valley]

Bummer!

Lily