AJ Smith Art Deco Lily of the Valley Silver Enamel brooch, Birmingham 1920

An extremely fine, period Art Deco, solid silver, enamel and paste set brooch. This stunning Lily of the Valley brooch is probably the best known piece by maker Arthur Johnson Smith (AJS). A beautiful representation of the flower with fabulous green enamel in pristine condition and 5 paste diamante 'stones' and 'C' clasp closure. Fully hallmarked for Birmingham, dated 1920, and with a registration mark of 612981. The brooch measures 4.5cm x 1cm and the weight is 4.1g.Born in the middle of the 19th century, English jeweler Arthur Johnson Smith founded his workshop “Variety Works” in 1882. Located at 46 Frederick Street, Birmingham, the company produced jewellery until the late 1930s. Traditionally, during the reign of Queen Victoria, the company’s craftsmen handcrafted exquisite Victorian jewellery. However, with the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, the range of jewelry expanded to mourning locket pendants, pins and brooches. In fact, mourning jewelry became most popular during and after the First World War.