Inverness Provincial Silver Celtic Brooch Pendant Medlock & Craik 1957

Description

A Scottish silver provincial Celtic knot brooch, made by Medlock & Craik of Inverness and hallmarked in Edinburgh in 1957. It’s fitted so it can be worn as a brooch or a pendant.

Inverness had no assay office of its own, so Highland makers sent their silver to Edinburgh for hallmarking. Medlock & Craik added “INVSS” to show where it had been made. They traded at 6 Bridge Street from 1913, and their INVSS mark was used until about 1959, so this is one of the later pieces. It’s a small bit of Highland silversmithing history, not just a Celtic design.

The knotwork is cast and crisp, with a continuous interlaced band / a knot with no beginning or end.

Details
Maker: Medlock & Craik, Inverness
Marks: M&C, castle, thistle, B, INVSS.
Date: 1957
Metal: sterling silver
Size: 40mm across
Weight: 15g
Fittings: brooch pin and pendant loop

Marks Explained

M&C – Medlock & Craik, jewellers of Inverness. James Robert Craik bought Arthur Medlock’s business in 1913 and traded under both names.

INVSS – Inverness, where it was made. Inverness never had an assay office, so this is a town mark, not a legal hallmark. Makers there used it to show where a piece came from.

Castle – the Edinburgh Assay Office, where it was tested. After 1836, all Scottish silver had to be assayed in Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Thistle – Scottish sterling silver. Edinburgh used it from 1759 until 1975, when the lion rampant replaced it.

B – the date letter for 1957. Edinburgh’s year ran from October to October, so it was struck between autumn 1957 and autumn 1958.

Condition: light surface wear on the back, in keeping with its vintage age. Pin and catch both work.

Base read, object read. They agree.

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