tive jewellers of Birmingham, and entreating the Queen and Prince to set the example of wearing British jewellery on such occasions and to such an extent as might meet the royal approval. The deputation took with them as presents for the Queen, an armlet, a brooch, a pair of ear-rings, and a buckle for the waist; for the Prince Consort a watch-chain, seal, and key, the value of the whole being over 400 guineas. The armlet (described by good judges as the most splendid thing ever produced in the town) brooch, ear-rings, chain and key were made by Mr. Thomas Aston, Regent's Place; the buckle and seal (designed from the Warwick vase) by Mr. Baleny, St. Paul's Square. It was stated by the deputation that 5,000 families were dependent on the jewellery trades in Birmingham. The "custom of trade" in connection with jewellers and the public was formally of the most arbitrary character, so much so indeed that at the Great Exhibition of 1851, the Birmingham jewellers did not exhibit, except through the London houses they were in the habit of supplying, and the specimens shewn by these middlemen were of a very unsatisfactory character as regards design. It is almost impossible to describe them without appearing to exaggerate. Construction in relation to use went for nothing. A group of Louis Quatorze scrolls put together to form something like a brooch with a pin at the back to fasten it to the dress, which it rather disfigured than adorned; heavy chain-like bracelet, pins, studs, &c., of the most hideous conceits imaginable, characterised the jewellery designs of Birmingham until about 1854-55, when a little more intelligence and enterprise was introduced, and our manufacturers learned that work well designed sold even better than the old-styled ugliness. A great advance has taken place during the past thirty years, and Birmingham jewellers now stand foremost in all matters of taste and design, the work- men of to-day ranking as artists indeed, even the commonest gilt jewellery turned out by them now being of high- class design and frequently of most elaborate workmanship. At the present time (March 18S5) the trade is in a very depressed condition, thousands of hands being out of employ or on short time, partly arising, no doubt, from one of those "changes of fashion" which at several periods of our local history have brought disaster to many of our industrial branches. It has been estimated that not more than one-half of the silver jewellery manufactured in Birmingham in 1883, passed through the Assay Office, but the total received there in the twelve months ending June 24th, 1883, amounted to no less than 856,180 ounces, or 31 tonsl7cwt. 4 lbs. 4 oz., the gold wares received during same period weighing 92,195 ounces, or 3 tons 7 cwt. 12 lbs. 3 oz., the total number of articles sent in for assaying being 2,649,379. The directory of 1780 gave the names of twenty-six jewellers; that of 1880 gives nearly 700, including cognate trades. The fashion of wearing long silver guard-chains came in in about 1806, the long gold ones dating a score years later, heavy fob chains then going out. The yearly make of wedding rings in Birmingham is put at 5,000 dozen Precious stones are not to be included in the list of locally manufactured articles, nor yet "Paris pastes," though very many thousands of pounds worth are used up every year, and those anxious to become possessed of such glittering trifles will find dealers here who can supply them with pearls from 6d., garnets from 2d., opals from 1s., diamonds, mines, emeralds, amethysts, &c., from half-a-crown, the prices of all running up according to size, &c., to hundreds of pounds per stone.
Latten, the term given to thin sheets of brass, was formerly applied to sheets of tinned iron.
Lockmakers are not so numerous here as they once were, though several well
