AN EXPIRING TRADE.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13755, 21 June 1913, Page 2

AN EXPIRING TRADE.

... Birmingham is watching by tho bedside of a (dying trado, ono of its oldest and most' celebrated industries. It is tho fimous Brummagem jewellery trade. It is being killed chiefly by the surp-erior airs of that British young person both hero and abroad. The. dusky Western African still buys its gilt nose-ring from Birmingham, but tho young woman in service in Britain or her colonies wants real gold, "tho only ring a lady can possibly wear. 15 Consequently ..tho supply of gold (nine carat) and silver articlos are reaching a lower level in prico every day. An "Express" representative was informed, that it was possible to.buy real gold brooches at 9s 6d a dozen, and these would retail at perhaps 2s each. Solidl silver brooches bearing an enamelled: blue bird sell in thousands at 4s 6d a dozen. The consequence is that with real gold-and silver articles so popular and so cheap the young person will not buy gilt jewellery, or, at all events, not at any price above 6Jd.

Mr W. T. Horton, of Birmingham, ono of the most prominent gilt jewelers in the Kingdom, whose work now adorns peoplo of every nation, told a press representative that ho. was seriously contemplating altering his business so as to enter the gold and silver trade. "I have been-in the gilt jewellery business for 44 years, employing GO hands," ho said, "but Brummagen. 'jewellery seems to be a dying trade. This is a period of good -/trade-, speaking generally, .so peoplo have more money, to spend, and they will have /real' jewellery—that is jewellery of gold and silver. There need not be much of it. A stray draught might carry it away- but it is real. Canadians and. Australians, too, aro demanding tho real'thing, and they have enough money to buy it. It is only tho increase in the gilt jewellery trado in China and in parts of Africa where they buy nose-rings, earrings, bracelets, and anklets that keeps the trado going. Men who onco earned good livings as stampers—that is, in cutting; out the patterns of gilt brooches with dies —have gone into other trades,"