*Royal Navy, WW2, HMS Furious Sweetheart Brooch, Mother-of-Pearl Mount*
A fine Royal Navy sweetheart brooch for HMS Furious, measuring 3cm in diameter. The gilt and enamel badge displays the ship’s crest — a lion’s head erased — within a rope-twist shield, surmounted by the Naval Crown, with the ship’s name picked out in blue enamel below. The badge is mounted on a circular mother-of-pearl disc, fitted with a pin-back clasp.
Sweetheart brooches of this type were worn on the home front by wives, mothers, sisters and sweethearts of serving sailors, proudly showing their connection to a loved one’s ship. The mother-of-pearl mounting and hand-enamelled badge were popular during both the First and Second World Wars.
Historical Note: HMS Furious was originally laid down as a Courageous-class battlecruiser during the First World War, but was soon converted into one of the Royal Navy’s pioneering aircraft carriers. She played an important role in naval aviation development during the inter-war years, later seeing extensive service in the Second World War. Furious participated in the Norwegian campaign, Arctic convoys to Russia, and ferry operations delivering aircraft to Malta and North Africa. She remained in service until 1945 and was broken up in 1954.
Sweetheart brooches for Furious therefore hold particular interest, reflecting both her unusual hybrid design and her distinguished war record.
*Condition* The enamel retains good colour with minor wear and light loss to the blue enamel. The gilt crest has mellowed with age and shows some surface rubbing. The mother-of-pearl backing has a fine iridescence with small age marks and wear. The reverse clasp is intact though rusted with oxidation consistent with age. Overall a well-preserved example with strong display presence. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
