*British, Interwar, Hallmarked Silver Swastika Pendant on Chain*
A finely made silver pendant in the form of a swastika, its hammered surface framed by a raised border and suspended from its original silver chain. The reverse bears maker mark C.H and a set of British hallmarks, including the lion passant for sterling silver, a partially rubbed assay office mark, and a cursive date letter. While the full details are indistinct, the presence of official British hallmarking confirms sterling standard silver.
Approx Measurements: Pendant 3.4 cm across; chain 22 cm (half-length).
Historical Note: The swastika - from the Sanskrit svastika for “well-being” or “good fortune”, known at the time as the fylfot or good luck cross was widely used in British and European decorative arts throughout the early 20th century as a symbol of good fortune and protection, long before its later political appropriation. This example could date from the pre-Nazi period, when the symbol was still seen as benign, or from the interwar years, when attitudes in Britain toward Germany were complex and divided—some viewing the regime with cautious admiration for its recovery from depression, others with growing alarm. In either context, this pendant represents the final phase in which such imagery could still appear in British jewellery without overt political meaning.
The hallmarks are likely to be the lion passant for sterling silver, and a partially rubbed Chester town mark (three wheat sheaves and sword), together with a cursive date letter consistent with either “l” for 1911 (closest fit) or “s” for 1918 or “s” for 1919, “t” for 1925. C·H is likely to be for Charles Horner Ltd of Halifax. The hallmarking style, together with the hammered finish and symbolic motif, aligns precisely with Horner’s “good luck” jewellery of the Edwardian and First World War periods.
*Condition* Good original condition with minor surface wear and even patination. Hallmarks are rubbed. Chain and suspension loop intact. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
