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Seal Stone Engraver

Genmac

proper brummie kid
I am trying to find out which 'company' where my wife's grandfather (Arthur Lowe) who was a skilled 'Seal Stone Engraver' in the Jewellery Quarter worked up to the middle of WW1 from 1890 to 1916?
He was in the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and was injured at the Battle of Passendeale on 4th October 1917. He was demobbed in 1919 and wondered if he returned to his job when he returned from the war?
 
Dear Genmac, the job of a seal-stone engraver is an elite job from the elite's of the lapidary ranks and lapidaries were rare (and still are) even back then: we are talking about something like ten/twenty men for the whole of the Birmingham Jewellery quarter in the 1920s and less than five today: probably only three? I would be astonished if Arthur Lowe did not return to his trade after demob. The only lapidary business I can recall from memory that was around in those days (and the largest), was and still is, Shipton's in Spencer Street.
 
Thank you for your information regarding Seal Stone Engraving. My wife will be pleased to hear that the work her grandfather produced was an 'elite' skilled craftsperson. I know that there were very few left in the country with the knowledge and skill required. We took his apprentice pieces and examples of seals to the Jewellery Quarter museum a few years ago who were amazed at the quality of work. In 1912 he was commissioned to produce the Bishop of Isle of Man ring seal who hailed from church in the Bull 'Ring' ! Unfortunately it was destroyed when he died on the Isle of Man The 1921 Census release next year should let us know his occupation after returning from WW1

I have been searching for years on any information on Seal Stone Engraving with visits to Birmingham Library Records but to no available which surprised us. So far I have failed to identify any companies in the Jewellery Quarter who were seal stone engravers between 1890 to 1920 in Birmingham Trade Directories. I wondered if there were any records of Arthur Lowe apprentice records anywhere?. I will start to use 'Lapidary' as an extra search term in trade directories. So far I have had no luck with your suggestion of Shipton's in Spencer Street. Once again thank you for your help and take care
 
I have been searching for years on any information on Seal Stone Engraving with visits to Birmingham Library Records but to no available which surprised us. So far I have failed to identify any companies in the Jewellery Quarter who were seal stone engravers between 1890 to 1920 in Birmingham Trade Directories. I wondered if there were any records of Arthur Lowe apprentice records anywhere?. I will start to use 'Lapidary' as an extra search term in trade directories. So far I have had no luck with your suggestion of Shipton's in Spencer Street. Once again thank you for your help and take care
In the 1896-97 Pecks Circular Trade Directory it shows this firm 'Joseph Moore' as Seal engravers, they were just off Vyse Street, Birmingham 18.
joseph moore.JPG
Further information found on 13 Pitsford Street
joseph moore2.JPG
 
When I looked in Kelly's pre WW1 there were a number of engraving firms listed but you had to check for a symbol next to the name to see exactly which ones were seal engravers. If you can't find any then I will post them later when my computer is on.
 
In RobT's post the name Fattorini is mentioned. There is a mention of them in this thread:
 
1858 a Frederick Penton was in trouble and described as perhaps the first Seal Stone engraver in Birmingham.
 
1895 Kelly's has the attached list (have copied in sections). I have posted the 8 names I spotted. Apologies that in some cases you have adjacent names which are not seal engravers. Similar lists are in other directories.
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I am amazed at the wealth of responses to my original posting. We would like to say a big thank you to RobT, pjmburns, Radiorails, and Pedrocut for all your useful contributions. This has given us plenty of pointers to eventually find out where my wife's grandfather Arthur Lowe worked as a Seal Stone Engraver in Hockley. We know he did a 7 year apprenticeship because we still have all of this apprentice pieces and stones he used. I wonder if any of these companies kept Apprentice Indenture Records? I will work through all of your suggested companies
 
Demobilization in Birmingham 1918-1920

Found this reference recently:-

'Jewellery Making in Birmingham (1750-1995)' Shena Masson p116 pub Phillimore

- '1919 - It was now time to face the huge problem of what was to be done to help war wounded and disabled ex-soldiers?
Training classes for them started at the Jewellery School in Birmingham'

Many of the original jobs in the Jewellery Quarter such as seal stone engraving were highly skilled often only using candle light to work under. My wife's grandfather sustained a shrapnel injury in his left shoulder and might have some after affects from shell shock which might have affected his ability to the quality of his workmanship before he was conscripted in 1916 at the age of 35?
 
Looking forward to researching the 1921 Census next month to finding out if Arthur Lowe returned to his skilled occupation as a 'Seal Stone Engraver' after he was demobbed from the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry at the end of WW1 in 1919. Also I am hoping to find out which company he worked for on the 1921 Census (watch this space).

I am hopeful that at last we will have an answer to our question because just found Arthur Lowe on the 1939 Register and his occupation is listed as 'Seal Stone Engraver' aged 58
 
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