Enamel Badge Catalogue Update

 Many thanks to those members that have responded to my request for information.  To date I have obtained back issues of the Badger and Little Jems (thanks Frank & Russell).  I now only need a limited number of Barry Crouchers auctions (1-45 inclusive and 49), and the series will be virtually complete (thanks Leo and Gordon).  Help with Nursing badges is also required.  The number of entries in the database is in excess of 10,000, but I have only processed a limited number of auctions!

 Interestingly the number of Industrial ARP badges estimated by statistical methods is in the region of 1,000.  Any comments?

 British Enamel Badge Manufacturers  by John Manley

 I have made a short study on enamel badge manufacturers, which I would like to share with fellow members, partly in response to last months article and interest in manufacturers by Ken Sequin.  It is far from comprehensive, and I would welcome additions and comments.

 There are several sources which give information on badge manufacturers.  There is of course the reverse of the badge, trade directories, trade catalogues, and other sources.  Looking through the old trade directories for Birmingham and London from the 1890's through to the early 1970's shows that most companies listed as manufacturers have at one time or another used their own marks on the reverse of badges.  Some, such as Miller and Thomas Fattorini always used their own marks, but a few have never done so however.

 As many as 50% of enamel badges do not have any marks on the back.  There are a variety of plausible reasons for this, but it seems odd that free advertising was not taken up by every manufacturer.  I suspect that a number of unmarked badges were produced by the large number of provincial and regional towns' jewellers.  A few of these did however mark the badges they made and provide the clues for this hypothesis.  For example, Zelley's of Bishops Stortford in Hertfordshire are a small family run jewellery business, still in existence, who in the 1960's produced a few enamel badges.  Only one design has so far been found, the Herts County Bowling Association, and interestingly the same design was also made by more notable firms including Miller, Collins, and one with no mark.

Another example is the mark of R.A.J.& S. of Southend, Essex.  Robert Arthur Jones was a watchmaker at the turn of the century, and by the 1940's the business had become R.A.Jones & Sons, jeweller and watchmaker.  They also produced a few enamel badges, but only eight designs have so far been found, some of which were also produced by Miller, and again one with no makers' mark.

 The marks on the reverse of badges would appear, on first inspection, to be those of the manufacturer, but that is not always the case.  I have discovered that many of the marks are those of retail distributors or agents.  Most regional towns and cities don't have there own local manufacturers, but they did have many jewellers and department stores that advertised as supplying badges, and where customers would often go to get a badge made.  These retailers would have acted as agents in many cases, but not all, for the big Birmingham and London manufacturers.  Some would have had enough clout to get the Birmingham manufacturers to put their names on the reverse, and so it can be difficult to know who actually made them.  The occurrence of a name on the reverse of a badge should be followed up by more careful study, especially for unusual names.

 There seem to be several categories of badge manufacturers, those solely producing badges, those that produced badges as a side line, and those that occasionally produced badges.  Most manufacturers hail from the Jewellery quarter of Birmingham, and many were initially jewellers who eventually produced badges as the major part of the business.  The manufacturers Miller, Thomas Fattorini, Fattorini & Sons, and J.R.Gaunt dominated the market, but as the manufacturing process was divided into several parts, each of which could be sub-contracted out, then many who were advertising in the directories simply managed the contracting of the individual manufacturing processes.  These separate processes, such as die making, stamping, enamelling, and plating required different skills and so could easily be conducted by the numerous individuals out workers or small firms in the Birmingham jewellery quarter area.

 I have found that most of the commonly available badges exist from several manufacturers.  There are several possible reasons for this, including re-tendering for a second batch, an initial order for a large number which was beyond the scope of one manufacturer alone, or an increased demand for a particular design, again beyond the scope of just one manufacturer.  An example of this is the Golly badges of the 1950's that were produced by as many as twenty different manufacturers as Miller couldn't, or wouldn't (?), cope with the demand.  I suggest wouldn't as reliance on just one customer is potentially a disastrous business plan.

Other notable badge firms include W.O.Lewis, W.Reeves, Toye Kenning & Spencer (earlier badges from the separate companies of Toye & Co., Kenning & Son, or Spencer), Vaughtons, Birmingham Medal Company, L.Simpson, Marples & Beasley, B.H.Collins, Butler, W.J.Dingley, J.Pinches, Jewellery Metal Co., Roden, F.Cobb, Davis Badge, Gladman & Norman, Caxton, W.H.Darby, H.Slingsby, J.A.Wylie, T.N.Priest, Squire, Firmin, London Badge, Strattons, Kirkwood, Morton T. Colver, Alexander Clark, Lambournes, Usher, and many more besides.  Acquisitions and mergers also are an interesting subject and I hope to cover this in a later article.  The firms of Coffer and R.E.V.Gomm I have been reliably informed sub-contracted the individual parts out, and didn't make badges themselves.  I have a total of over 300 manufacturers listed so far.  The top ten in the database are: Unknown 45.2%, Miller 16.7%, Thomas Fattorini 6.9%, Fattorini & Sons 5.5%, J.R.Gaunt 3.4%, W.O.Lewis 1.8%, W.Reeves 1.7%, Toye Kenning & Spencer 0.9%, Vaughtons 0.9%, Birmingham Medal 0.9%.

Badge manufacturers each seem to have each had there own niche markets, and although they obviously overlapped, it is interesting that by categorising badges against manufacturers some interesting results can be obtained.  For example J.R.Gaunt specialised in military badges, W.Reeves in Speedway and Football badges, W.O.Lewis in political badges, Coffer in Football badges, R.E.V.Gomm in the Golly badges of the 1970's, Jewellery Metal Company in Butlin badges, Thomas Fattorini in Trade Union, Company and advertising badges.  Of the larger manufacturers the exceptions are Miller who produced a wide range of badges including a large numbers of Bowling, Religious and Youth badges, and Fattorini & Sons who seem to have produced in the widest variety of badge categories.

In conclusion the manufacture of enamel badges evolved and changed considerable during the last century, and the way the trade worked was complex.  Each manufacturer developed there own markets and methods of production, some balancing high demand by sub-contracting.  The existence of a mark on the reverse does not conclude that it was the manufacturer without further investigation.

If any members have manufacturers catalogues, adverts or other material or information I would be very interested in obtaining photocopies or hearing from them.

Marks of W.Reeves

As part of the continuing series on manufacturers marks the major marks of W.Reeves are described here.  They first advertised as badge manufacturers in the Birmingham trade directories in 1947 as Reeves W. & Co. (jewellers) Ltd.  Reeves concentrated on the production of badges for the Speedway and Football markets, and also for Butlins.  Over the years the marks changed and can be used as a rough guide to date badges.

 

W.REEVES & CO LD TENBY ST BIRMINGHAM 1		1947-1950
W.REEVES & CO (JEWELLERS) 31-33 TENBY STREET BIRMINGHAM		1950-1952
W.REEVES & CO LTD BIRMINGHAM	In box	1954-1969
W.REEVES & CO LTD B'HAM	In box	1968-1969
W.REEVES & CO LTD 30 TENBY ST BIRMINGHAM 1.	In box	1970-1998
W.REEVES & CO LTD 30/33 TENBY STREET BIRMINGHAM B1 3EE	In box	1972-1984

 

 

You can also contact me by e-mail - Johnmuriel.manley@virgin.net

VAUGHTONS

 

Vaughton made some of the best made enamel badges, with superb enamelling. The badges were invariably well designed with detailed die work. The firm of Vaughtons was established early in the 19th century. The earliest reference I have found is from an early trade catalogue which states that they were established in 1819. However, the earliest authenticated reference is from a 1897 trade directory, when they were listed as Vaughton Brothers, Athletic, agricultural & all kinds of medals & badges, 135 Constitution Hill, Birmingham . As well as the manufacture of badges and fobs they also made other 'stamped' articles such as medals, spoons, cups, nameplates and even coins. Thus the manufacture of badges was probably only a small part of their business. This strategy may have helped them survive for such a long time. They moved to Gothic works in Livery Street , Birmingham in 1903. Judging by the frontage it was possibly specially made for them. The building is still standing although it was up for sale earlier this year. Vaughtons became a limited company in 1928.

 

The only Vaughton living in Birmingham in 1881 was a Phil ip Vaughton, Master Jeweller employing 2 men and 6 boys, of 21 Vyse St . He was 57 at the time, but I'm not sure whether he was connected with the firm of Vaughtons or not.

 

Many of the early cycling badges were made by Vaughtons as the following page of an early trade catalogue shows. Has any member seen or got any of the badges illustrated? I'm particularly interested in seeing the Vaughton mark(s) if you have. The table below shows that there are many subtle differences between the various Vaughton marks, but I need more information on dated badges in order to make a better dating table so get those badges out!

 

Mark	Date(s)
V & S	?
VAUGHTON B'HAM	circa. 1909
VAUGHTON BIRM M	circa. 1900
VAUGHTON BIRM M TO CLEAN THIS BADGE USE PALOGEN	?
VAUGHTON & SONS BIRMM	?
VAUGHTONS B'HAM.3	?
VAUGHTONS BIRM	?
VAUGHTONS B'HAM	?
VAUGHTONS L TD BIRM M	?
VAUGHTONS L D BIRMM	circa. 1913
VAUGHTONS L TD BIRM	circa. 1927-1932
VAUGHTONS LTD B'HAM	circa. 1952-1962
VAUGHTONS LTD BIRM	circa. 1947-48
VAUGHTONS L TD BIRM	circa. 1924
VAUGHTONS LTD. B'HAM 3.	?