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Davis Gooch Street

Simon68

master brummie
Hi everyone,
It's Simon here, you know the token collector from Ipswich, Suffolk.

Well I have a new item that is very intriguing and I hope one of you learned people can give me a bit more information on it.

It is a 4-holed button, measuring approximately 45mm in diameter, so actually very big for this type of button. On one side it has been engraved ''Go To Davis Gooch Street for Guinea Gold Wedding Rings'' and then Birmingham on the convex area. On the reverse it just states ''You Liar''.

Is it an advertising piece, a gimmick item or with the reference of ''You Liar'', was someone trying to tell us that Davis's rings weren't 100% gold????

The general look of it suggests to me around mid-1800's but I don't have access to any Birmingham Trade Directories to track Davis down. Was Davis a jeweller, goldsmith, button maker, plater, die sinker and stamper, ironmonger?

Any help would be appreciated as usual. Equally I am open to reasonable offers if anyone would be interested in acquiring this item from me.IMG_2498.JPG IMG_2497.JPG
 
There was a Samuel Davis in the late 1800' and early 1900's who was listed at one time as a watchmaker and another time as a jeweler and I also think another time in a partnership "Lawley & Davis Fancy Repository" at this time it was numbers 251,132. 134, & 136. The trouble is there was a renumbering at some time or other and am unable to work out if the the earlier Davis's are the same person. Of course there were other Davis's throughout the years but none of their trades came anywhere near qualifying.
 
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I saw him and did wonder as that was the only Davis I found in Gooch Street. Apart from a greengrocer!!
 
Gooch Street had a number of Davis's over the years, but Samuel at 121 & 122 the jeweller is the only one who seems to come anywhere near, the others were Milliner, Greengrocer & Confectioner. When I get home tonight will try my census records
Bob
 
Reading the responses, I suspect that Phil and pjmburns are probably correct in their finding of Davis the Jeweller. No other trade is anywhere near similar.
As for the ''You Liar'' bit......who knows?

Thanks for research so far.
 
Simon68,

The button was obviously an advertising gimmick, perhaps the rings advertised were akin to another advertising gimmick of the Victorian age the Spade Guinea which were advertising tokens that were gilded to look like guineas but were in fact base metal. So perhaps the wedding rings being advertised were also gilded base metals made to look like the real thing, hence "Guinea Gold" and the legend "You Liar" on the reverse of the button.
 
Hi Phil,
Yes that's why I bought it as I collect George III Imitation Spade Guineas and have around 700 of the 1200 or so versions, so I have one of the largest collections in existence, including several that I hold the only known example of in the entire world, including one for a W Smith of New Meeting Street Birmingham.
 
Another one here. I found this one this morning being offered for sale on an on line auction room. Has a guide price of £40
advertising button.jpg
Has anyone found out anything about the firm yet?
 
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