I purchased this brooch for my wife a few years ago. She wears it on Remembrance Day along with a poppy.
When I purchased it the story was that these were commissioned and distributed by Queen Mary Of Teck in 1914 to widows of servicemen who fell during the Crimean War. This story may have some air of truth to it but there may be a more solid story behind it.
1914 would have been the 60th anniversary of Balaclava, so widows would have been in their 80's or 90's but moreover the brooch is hallmarked London 1910 (made by Thomas Harper 1806). Due to the 1910 hallmark, "Her Gracious Majesty The Queen" is more likely Alexandra Of Denmark, who as we all know had her namesake in action during the war in the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service and was certainly more engaged with military affairs in 1910 than Queen Mary. It would also seem more reasonable to be commissioning and distributing these within 10 years of a loss of a spouse - even if it uses text written to commemorate action in the Crimean War (We certainly don't only use contemporary writings during our commemoratives now). It may be that these were given to widows of servicemen who had lost their lives in any of the conflicts from Crimea to 1910.
Extensive searches have not answered any questions. I can find no record nor report of this brooch at all, let alone relating to a particular conflict etc.
This is certainly something along the lines and fashions of the brooch Queen Victoria favoured Florence Nightingale with but it would certainly be good to know more. Without the information given in the case and ability to date it this would just be another chunk of jewellery.
When I purchased it the story was that these were commissioned and distributed by Queen Mary Of Teck in 1914 to widows of servicemen who fell during the Crimean War. This story may have some air of truth to it but there may be a more solid story behind it.
1914 would have been the 60th anniversary of Balaclava, so widows would have been in their 80's or 90's but moreover the brooch is hallmarked London 1910 (made by Thomas Harper 1806). Due to the 1910 hallmark, "Her Gracious Majesty The Queen" is more likely Alexandra Of Denmark, who as we all know had her namesake in action during the war in the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service and was certainly more engaged with military affairs in 1910 than Queen Mary. It would also seem more reasonable to be commissioning and distributing these within 10 years of a loss of a spouse - even if it uses text written to commemorate action in the Crimean War (We certainly don't only use contemporary writings during our commemoratives now). It may be that these were given to widows of servicemen who had lost their lives in any of the conflicts from Crimea to 1910.
Extensive searches have not answered any questions. I can find no record nor report of this brooch at all, let alone relating to a particular conflict etc.
This is certainly something along the lines and fashions of the brooch Queen Victoria favoured Florence Nightingale with but it would certainly be good to know more. Without the information given in the case and ability to date it this would just be another chunk of jewellery.