Pearl ornament maker

[CarolB08]

I suppose this could be self explanatory but despite employing google I can not find an explanation of just what a pearl ornament maker actually made, what king of ornaments? The family in question were living in Birmingham between 1827 and 1836 and the rest of the baptism register occupations ranged from jeweller to gun makers so I assume it must be linked somewhere.

 

[At home in NZ]

I Goggled pearl ornaments design, they are all for necklaces.
Pearly Kings and Queens would have used mother of pearl for the ornaments on their clothing.
I cannot imagine where they would have obtained pearls from in Birmingham, our Brummie contributor might know.

 

[Heather]

I suppose this could be self explanatory but despite employing google I can not find an explanation of just what a pearl ornament maker actually made, what king of ornaments? The family in question were living in Birmingham between 1827 and 1836 and the rest of the baptism register occupations ranged from jeweller to gun makers so I assume it must be linked somewhere.

I'm only guessing but maybe pearl buttons, perhaps a call to Birmingham Council will provide an answer as they most probably have an archive department, good luck.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I cannot imagine where they would have obtained pearls from in Birmingham, our Brummie contributor might know.

For a start almost certainly Mother of Pearl and I had an Uncle (my father's brother) who crafted MoP working in the famous - yes famous as its reputation extended far beyond the town and later city - Birmingham Jewellery Quarter. The Quarter specialised in precious metals, gold and silver particularly (and Birmingham had its own Assay office) and precious stones also, and obtaining the raw materials, would have been as nothing to the 'City of a Thousand Trades'. As for Gun Makers the city was home to BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) who produced guns and rifles long before they branched out into manufacturing motor cycles.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Mother of Pearl and Tortoise shell inlays were used to embellish Combs, Hair Brushes and Handheld Mirror handles and, of course buttons of every description and 'every which way' shaped trinket boxes were all produced in Birmingham for sale in the country and around the world. My cousin has quite a few examples of Mother of Pearl artefacts and Tortoise Shell spectacle frames made by her father.

 

[At home in NZ]

I had an Uncle (my father's brother) who crafted MoP working in the famous - yes famous as its reputation extended far beyond the town and later city - Birmingham Jewellery Quarter.

Thanks Bob, I only ever associated Birmingham with 'the Black Country', now I know better. Both your posts are informative.

 

[CarolB08]

Mother of Pearl and Tortoise shell inlays were used to embellish Combs, Hair Brushes and Handheld Mirror handles and, of course buttons of every description and 'every which way' shaped trinket boxes were all produced in Birmingham for sale in the country and around the world. My cousin has quite a few examples of Mother of Pearl artefacts and Tortoise Shell spectacle frames made by her father.

Wow thank you all but especially Bob for the most informative and interesting replies, I was thinking oyster pearls and could not imagine how they could be made into ornaments .